Chasing Phantoms
by skywolf2001
Summary: With a mission to leave Heavy Melder forever and find her real father, Phantom F. Fairborn gets a little more then she bargained for when she snuck aboard a ship in the middle of the night. Now she has to deal with New Order dogs, Space Foxes, a psychopath captain and The King of Space Pirates himself, Captain Harlock. Full Prologue inside! (CGI-movie-verse original anime) Enjoy!
1. Prologue

The Germanic Harlock clan has a long history of pirating. A _long_ history. Each of its members also have piloting in they're blood. Be it a double-winged biplane dogfighter of the early wars or the space pirate battleship Arcadia of this era, imperial calendar year 2779, you can find the latest Harlock at the wheel.

Pirating and piloting is in their blood and soul. But it is not pirating in the true meaning of the word. Sure, they fight unfairly, not by the rules and cruelly, they steal, plunder other space craft, ship, battle ship, fighter, etc. Sure they kill, but they are the proud, honor full, trustworthy and loyal to their flag kind of men. The kind of men who keep a promise to a friend, dead or alive, even if it means dying in the progress.

This brings us to the current Harlock, his real name is Captain Phantom Frederick (or just F.) Harlock the second. He is Immortal. Yep, ya heard me, _Immortal_. Due to a dark matter "accident" a hundred years ago. But more on that later. We're gonna subtly skip some time in which the truth comes to light in a dramatic way etcetera, etcetera, or else this prologue will never end.

This story is about what happens after. About me, a girl from the planet Heavy Melder. A rough, frontier/outlaw planet where most of everything criminal goes as an everyday kind of thing. Kinda like all those old ancient western movies from the 1970's on earth. But instead of it being just one state or part of the country, it's a whole planet. It's full of drunkards, outlaws, space pirates and plain old bad people.

I'm 15, the name's Phantom F. Fairborn, for now at least, and this is the story of my adventures, to be exact, this is the story of how one day I randomly ended up on a haunted Space battleship, oh how I hate ghosts….


	2. Chapter 1

The sun was glaring down at me, the wind whipped and clawed at my poncho and hat, blasting sand into my face. I bowed my head even lower and pulled the rim of my hat down further in an attempt to keep my face safe from the sand, continuing on my way at the same time. I couldn't give up now, I was too close...

"Whose idea was it to colonize this darn wasteland anyway...? Like come on!" I spoke to myself.

Heavy Melder was a hostile, outlaw planet. Heck even the weather was trying to kill you. Then again crossing one of its deserts at noon wasn't very smart on my part. Well it's not like I could've stayed in the last town any longer. I messed with the wrong people... again. Not saying anymore on that subject.

In the distance was the capital, a town marked as capital just because it had the only _legal_ intergalactic trading post and ship dock. Other than that, it was nothing special. The population was only about a couple hundred over the others and it was inhabited by the same type of people. It was my destination. It was a dark shadow on the horizon against the dull brown lifeless rocks and sand of the planet.

I was a traveler, rooming around from town to town and only staying for a couple of nights, 2 weeks at most, in one before moving to the next. Sometimes working at a shop or store somewhere to gain some money. This would last only till I get to the capital. Once there, I was planning to get a job on one of the ships and go into space, hopefully to never see this god forsaken planet ever again. I had too many bad memories here.

My mother died when I was young, no more than 5 years old, and the man my mother led me to believe was my father was not. He told me so 3 years ago, telling me instead that my real father was a captain on a battleship somewhere in space. "I would most likely never meet him any." were his words. That's when I left home, vowing to never come back. I never really felt right with them anyway. I needed freedom, and here on the planet's surface I felt grounded and trapped. I guess it comes from the fact that my father had space in his blood. The thought of sailing thru galaxies was what pushed me to go to the capital.

Since I've set out I've been in countless fights and misunderstandings gone wrong. I now have a beautiful Gravity Sabre and Cosmo Reaper strapped to my sides day and night. For those of you who have absolutely no idea what the heck I'm talking about, I'll explain. A gravity sabre is a long, thin sword mad of incredibly strong reinforced metal. Its tip is super sharp and can cut thru most likely anything except another gravity sabre and space ship strength class metal. It also doubles as a laser shotgun. My Cosmo Reaper is a fully custom laser handgun with a blade made of the same metal as my sabre attached to its handle. Both of my weapons color schemes are blue and black, and they fire of black-ish blue laser shots. To add to their deadliness, I'm one of the best shots around, by practice, experience and skill I never knew I had. I'm also good in hand to hand combat.

I stopped for a moment and lifted up my foot. "I hate sand, I hate this desert, FRIG I HATE THIS PLANET!" I grumble as I take off my high leather boot off and dumping a boat load of sand out. How it got in there... I do not know.

Looking back up after putting my boot back on, I realise that behind the howling of the wind the sound of a galloping horse was slowly getting louder. OH NO! Don't tell me they followed me out here! I looked over my shoulder just as some dude on horseback wearing a dark trench coat thundered right past me. I jumped to one side to avoid getting ran over.

I was relieved. It wasn't part of the SpaceFoxe's gang members. Remember those "Wrong people" I mentioned earlier? Well those people were part of the SpaceFoxe pirate gang, a group of small but deadly space fighters piloted by some of the most wanted pirates. Don't ask me how I got involved with them. So because he was not someone that could be more dangerous than me, I did what any hot head would do. I yelled at him.

"We're in the frigging desert! No need to run any one over! There are miles of space here! NO NEED TO RUN ME OVER!" I yelled shaking my fist at him, but if he did hear me, he showed no sign of it, I guess he was already out of ear shot, I mean, he was on a horse after all... so of course he just kept going.

Another gust of wind hit me and almost blew my hat off my head, I quickly grabbed it and pulled the rim down even further down. My poncho had blown open too, revealing my plain white t-shirt, black skinny jeans and two dark leather belts I had on. Why two you ask? Well simple, one for my weapons and one for my pants.

Both were adorned with the only thing I have left of my mom: two beautiful silver belt buckles decorated with a skull and cross bones on each. My Step-father had told me that my mother had gotten the buckles from my father as a present. So in a way they were the only things I had left of my mom _and_ dad.

I smiled at that thought, then pulled my poncho back around me and started walking again. Only half an hour more and I should be there.

 **Later on that night...**

I had made it to the capital, and into a salon. Thankfully the "Muddy Boat" salon also doubled as a Bed and Breakfast. So I had rented a room and was now lying on my bed. The room was small but cozy. It was very well kept and clean, with fresh blankets and a small fire burning in the corner already set up when I arrived. Then a lady came up with some food and a drink. She told me she was in fact the owner's wife and that she was in charge of the Bed and Breakfast part of the business. I thanked her and she want to take care of another client. I later found out that the elderly couple lived downstairs behind the pub and kitchen. The supper she had made was delicious and the jus she had brought up was sweet and equally delicious.

It was now around 7:30 and the sun was just setting. I was thinking about the day I left my home in Argo, a small town of only 200 people. My mother and step-father had owned a farm there and I grew up around the horses they bred there. It was my twelfth birthday and I was so excited to get my present.

 _"_ _Hey Tommy! Wake up silly!" I woke up with a start. I had the same dream about that exploding space ship and a man screaming 'Nooooo' and I woke up at that part. My father was beside me, smiling a goofy smile. I immediately forgot about the awful dream and smiled._

 _"_ _Morning Pops! What's for breakfast?" I asked getting up and stretching._

 _"_ _Your favourite goof, CHOCOLAT CHIP PANCAKES!" he said picking me up by surprise and bringing me downstairs. I was overjoyed. Even though my mother wasn't here I was happy and I loved my father._

 _We had finished breakfast and I was helping him feed all the horses when he came over with a package wrapped up in brown paper and a note stuck on top. I put down my pitchfork and dust off my hands on my jeans._

 _"_ _Phantom will you come with me for a second?" Curious as to why he called me by my real name instead of his nickname for me 'Tommy', I followed him to the small forest behind the house. In that forest was a little clearing with a river to one side. That was where mom was buried, and that was where he led me._

 _He turned back to me and handed me the package. He had a sad grim look on his face, yet he smiled. Curious to what could have caused this I took the package and opened the letter. It read:_

 _"_ _Dear Phantom,_

 _If you are reading this, then I have passed away and it is your twelfth birthday. Happy birthday my girl, remember I always will be with you and I love you. But today you must know the truth."_

 _I looked back up at my father confused. He just nodded and said "Go on."_

 _"_ _Phantom you are an extraordinary girl, always polite and clever. But you stand up for what you think is right and you defend your beliefs. You are just like your father, only fighting under your own flag. I know that by now, your restless and feel trapped on this planet, so I wish you luck on your travels, if you do go travelling. But I know you will. Like I said, you're too much like your father._

 _Now I wish I would be there for the conversation that will follow after you read this, but since I cannot I will ask one more thing of you before I let you free. Please do not be mad at Arthur or bare any animosity towards him. If you do then you should direct your anger at me, for it is I who asked him to keep the secret until your twelfth birthday. Know that he really does love you as if you were his own daughter. He is with me as I write this letter._

 _I love you Phantom, Be strong, Protect your beliefs and stay as you are._

 _You are my daughter forever,_

 _Your mother,_

 _Cassia J. Franklin Fairburn H- "_

 _The rest of my mother's name was too faded to read, I couldn't guess what it was because I only knew my mother as Cassia Fairburn. I didn't know there was a J. or any other parts to it. I looked at my dad, wondering just what the hell my mother was talking about. I was beyond confused. Why would I be mad at my father? Did he do something wrong? That's when he started to speak._

 _"_ _Phantom, I'm not going to pretty this up and try to direct your anger, if you do get angry, away from me, so I just say it and explain after." He paused. Looking me straight in the eye with a level of seriousness I've never seen in him before. "I am not your real father."_

 _In that moment my whole world was tipped over. Everything I knew had been a lie, and has he explained I listened thru a haze of shock and betrayal. My mother was my real mother, but Arthur was the one who saved us from the debris of a crashed ship. He offered a place in his house for us and took care of me and my mother in our time of need. They grew to be very close friends. When my mother told Arthur about my true father he agreed to keep it a secret till my mom thought it was the right time, leaving me to grow up thinking he was my real dad. Arthur told me the story my mother told him 12 years ago._

 _"_ _I found you and your mother in the remains of an escape pod from one of the big patrol battle ships of the Gaia Coalition; I don't know which one so don't ask me. Your mother had said that the ship on which you, she and your father, the captain, were on was attacked. Your father immediately put you both into an escape pod and blasted you off. The last thing she saw was a huge explosion from that same ship. She said she didn't know what to do, then suddenly a piece of debris hit the pod, damaging it and making a mini explosion, sending the pod to crash on Heavy Melder."_

 _He stopped, still looking at my now recovered expression. I looked back with no emotion. It wasn't that I wasn't feeling any emotion, it was that if I let emotion thru I would explode at him for no good reason. And I refused to hurt him, even if he kept this secret so long, he was keeping it for a reason. There was a long moment of silence and then I remembered the package in my hands. I looked down at it, breaking the eye contact._

I smiled sadly at the events that played and replayed in my mind. In that package were my belt buckles and a set of silver riding spurs. There was another letter included, explaining that the buckles were like I said earlier a present from my father to her and from now her to me. But the spurs were from my real dad to me. The letter said that he had intended to give them to me but when the ship was attacked he gave them to my mother to give to me. Those spurs never came off my boots, nor has my buckles ever came off of my belts. The letters my mother wrote were always on me, hidden away in a secret compartment in my hat.

I had left home because I knew the time was right. Of course I was young so I had made a lot of mistakes along the way, but now here I was, about to reach my goal. Arthur didn't try to stop me and instead encouraged me to go. I think that deep down, and if I don't try to deny it, I was heading to space to try and find my father.

And with that I took off my boots, hat and poncho, turned off the oil lamp that was lighting the room and slipped into the covers of the bed. Slowly, I felt myself drift away to darkness.

 **On the Space Pirate Battleship Arcadia...**

"Why do we have to land?!"

"Shut up Logan you've been whining for the past few hours!"

"I don't know why the Captain lets _you_ of all people pilot the ship..."

Bickering at the helm of the Deadly Ghost Space Pirate Battleship Arcadia, also known as home to its crew members of 40 men plus 4, were Logan, Second in command Kei Yuki and First mate Yataran. Sitting behind them all, fighting back the urge to "accidentally" shoot them, was the Captain himself. Although the Captain would never show it, he was tired, frustrated and highly annoyed.

Teaching Logan, the latest recruit on board the Arcadia, to be a real man and captain had brought him to the end of his incredibly long patience. Then when the Captain had announced that they were to land on Heavy Melder for food and water, Logan had openly shown his disapproval by whining and complaining. The Captain himself didn't need food or water to live but the crew sure did.

"Logan." The Captain waited for him to turn and face him before continuing. "Shut up or I'll leave you on Heavy Melder for the crows. Understand?" Logan nodded. "Good."

For the rest of the voyage to Heavy Melder's orbit, which was around a day's worth of traveling at the relaxed, 50% of the speed of light, pace they were using. So by around noon Heavy Melder time they were ready to land.

"We're going to land at a small town across the desert from the capital. Enter atmosphere at a 40o degree angle, main engines 40% landing speed, warp engines offline, open atmosphere shutters. Yataran, Kei and Logan, you have till midnight tomorrow night to assemble teams and get the supplies we need." The Captain said, taking hold of the wheel.

A chorus of "Aye Captain" followed and the orders were executed perfectly. But before they could get very far, the radar went off. Something was trying to sneak up behind them.

"Captain! Hostile ships approaching from the rear. There are 6 of them, five high performance space fighters and one Omega-2 class small ship." The radar man, Yabo, informed.

The Captain smirked. He knew exactly who this was. "It seems our old friends the SpaceFoxe gang noticed our arrival. Thc, this is no way to greet friends." He chuckled darkly.

This left the crew wondering just what their diabolical Captain had in mind. They knew what he could do, and they knew what the ship could do. And that ladies and gentle pirates, was not a good mix. The crew had heard of the Foxe Gang but have never had a run in with them. So they decided it had something to do with the 107 give or take years before they became his crew only 14 years ago.

"What do say to a little greeting of our own old friend?" The Captain asked no one in particular, but as if in response the ship shuddered. "Well then, Arcadia Battle positions! We'll wait till they attack and swoop to the front, they'll think that we'll be in shock at the attack, but we'll surprise them with 3 rounds of super-charged plasma. Aim at the Omega-2, but don't damage it too much, after all, the most humiliating thing for a pirate is," His smirk turned evil. "To get pirated!"

True to his words, the Foxes attacked, but it was so weak compared to the Arcadia's armour that it barely made the ship shudder. "Fail." Stated Logan, Kei couldn't help but chuckle. Then true to the Captain's prediction, the Foxes swooped to the front of the Arcadia, shooting a barrage of rapid fire laser blasts, which barely left scratches on the hull.

"Captain, we're aligned with the Omega-2!" Yataran stated excitedly.

"Fire!"

At those words the super-charged plasma fired out of one of the main cannons, so fast that the red energy hit its target within seconds. Tearing large chucks of red hot metal out of the Omega-2 class ship. A ship not even ¼ of the Arcadia in size. The Omega was paralyzed and the rest of the small fighter were shot in the engine, so they would have to watch as the Arcadia stole their loot and humiliated them without being able to do anything.

"The Captain sure knows how to put people in their place..." Logan commented.

"A while back they did the same to me, of course this was a very long time ago, and it was not this group of Foxes but the ancestors of this one. Ever since then there has been a blood feud between the Arcadia and the Heavy Melder Foxes." The Captain told them. "I'm sure you know that this was not the whole of the Foxes, there are over 10 groups of Foxes exactly the same size of this one. The number one group has the most fire power and bigger ships." He finished looking at the small ship the Arcadia had pulled up against.

"Oh so this is why they've always seem to be in two places at once." Yataran wondered. "It's funny that the Gaia coalition never found this out."

A voice crackled thru the com-link. "Captain the Foxes goods are on bored." It was the head engineer.

"Arcadia, continue our descent to Heavy Melder, the SpaceFoxe gang will not cause us anymore trouble while we're on the planet.

"Aye Captain!"


	3. Chapter 2

_I was outside a ship's window, peering inside it. There was a man, dressed in a cape and dark clothing with only one eye. The rest of his face was dark but I could tell he was in pain and he was crying because of something that had happened. The ship was in flames, an explosion going off every couple of seconds, the corridor the man was in was filled with debris. He had one hand reached out towards something, he was screaming an inaudible word before an explosion threw him out of my view and destroyed the place he was standing._

 _"_ _Nooooo!" A woman screamed._

I woke with a start. It was the same dream I always had. Always finishing with the mystery lady screaming. I didn't know what it meant but I knew it had some sort of significance. I looked at the clock. It was already 12. Wow I slept in late. Well time to look for a ship to get a job on.

I got up and did my hair into a loose side braid putting my poncho back on along with my hat. That's when I looked at the small table next to the bed. On it was a plate of nice warm pancakes drowned in sugary syrup.

"HOW DID I NOT NOTICE THAT?!" I exclaimed and proceeded to wolf down the delicious pancakes like there was no tomorrow. A knock on the door made me look up from the pancake massacre I was conducting.

"Come in!" I called standing up, even though I doubted I would need it, I rested my hand on my Reaper just in case.

It was the owner's wife, she had a big smile on her face. "It seems you liked the pancakes!"

"Ma'am," I said seriously, "Your pancakes are the best anywhere!" I chuckled and she laughed. "Thank you for the Breakfast, but I have no more money to pay you with." I said honestly.

"Oh it's okay dear, I made that just for you. You seem young to be traveling by yourself."

"I'm looking for a job on one of the ships." I stated stretching as she picked up the plate that the pancakes were on.

"Ah that isn't a new one, that's what led me here over 50 years ago. My husband was also here to get on one of the ships. We met and we've been together ever since." She told me fondly.

I smiled. "That's sweet."

"Well every relationship as its ups and downs. One time he got on my nerves so much that I left the house for a day. He bought me flowers and apologised as soon as I came back."

I chuckled.

"Well your rent expires tomorrow but don't worry about time, you can stay here till you get a job." She said heading to the door.

"Oh no, I can't do that, I'm sure you need this room, most likely I'll be gone today. I was actually just about to get going." I declined the offer nicely. I was going to go down to the pub, get something to drink and then leave.

"Well okay then, we'll be seeing ya, good luck on your travels." She said waving as she walked back out the door.

I checked the room one last time and made the bed, then headed downstairs, closing the door behind me. I was shocked to see that there was absolutely no one in the whole room, except the owner.

"Well good 'morning to ya missy. Sleep well?" He greeted with a smile. Man, these two were so kind, compared to everyone else on this planet.

"Very well thank you. I woke up to wonderful pancakes this morning too." I said taking a seat near the middle of the bar's counter.

He chuckled, "That's the wife for 'ya, makes the best food anywhere."

"Agreed!" I laughed. "Why is there no one here? I mean, with cooking this good this place should be packed!" I asked, burning with curiosity.

His smile faded. "Well, there are rumours that an Old battleship landed not far from here, no more than a few miles away into the desert. So everyone is locked up tight inside."

"Do they know which one?" I questioned.

"Everyone is too cowardly to go see, so no one knows who it is. Not even The New Order's checkpoint patrol knows who it is." He told me.

This was saying something. The New Order was the government that took over when the Gaia Coalition had fallen apart, it was made up of 10 representatives that took care of all the intergalactic colonies in space. I didn't know anything else on the matter. The patrols they sent to every space quadrant had the best radars available, so if they couldn't see who it was then that means the mystery ship as a frigging powerful cloaking device.

I signed, and then ordered some jus. I was bored and the bar was too silent, making it eerie. I downed the jus and just sat there for a while. Then just as I went to get out my last bit of money to pay for the drink, a peculiar sound made itself heard. It was undoubtedly footsteps, but with an added odd clinking sound. Like two small pieces of metal clicking against each other every time the mystery person made a step. Kinda like the sound my spurs made but louder. They were coming this way. Man that sound was annoying.

"Now I wonder who that could be..." The bartender thought out loud. The footsteps were now sounding on the steps of the inn.

A few moments later a man walked in. He was tall, about 6'7, with wild brown hair and only one brown eye. The other eye was covered by a black leather eye patch that seemed to be screwed into place. He had a jagged scar running across his nose all the way to the left side of his jaw. He was wearing a long black cape with a red underside, black pants and a black long sleeve shirt with a skull and cross bones imprint on it in white. He was also wearing high black leather boots. On his upper arms he seemed to have metal bracers for armour. He had two leather belts too, but that's not what caught my eye, the two buckles on the belts were. They were exactly the same as mine, a bit more wear to them and they were gold instead of silver, but they had the exact same emblem on them. Weird.

I had a double take when I recognised the weapons he had strapped to the belts. A Gravity sabre was hanging on his left, and on his right, the rarest of all laser guns, A Cosmo Dragoon. I shuddered, chills running along my spine. This guy was not to be messed with, I could just feel it. But I wasn't afraid, cautious yes, but not afraid.

"Interesting gun you got there..."

I looked at the stranger in shock and he looked at me intently. We had just said the same thing at the same time, WEIRD. But it also meant that at the same time I was studying him, measuring how big a threat he could be, he was doing the same to me. Since Heavy Melder always had the unexpected around the corner, people who weren't careful ended up dead. This guy knew very well which planet he was on.

"What kind is it?" He asked calmly, walking over to the bar and taking a seat a little ways away from me. I chuckled, and as I answered I couldn't help but feel proud of my master piece gun.

"I call it the 'Cosmo Reaper'. It's the only one like it in the universe. I made it myself."

I turned to the bartender and smiled, giving my due to him, and got up to leave. "See ya 'round missy. Take care now!" He called after me. I waved and headed to the door. Pausing right before I left and I turned back.

"Hey Mr. Creepy Van Creepy-stein, what's your name?" I asked the stranger.

He looked back at me and smirked evilly. "Captain Harlock." The bartender gasped and backed away disappearing behind the kitchen door. "But for once, I will allow someone to call me 'Mr. Creepy Van Creepy-stein' without shooting them."

I smirked. This was a cool dude with attitude. Weirdly enough I felt like I knew him from somewhere and I couldn't shake that feeling off. The feeling that he was way more dangerous then he looked like, combined with my confusion, added to the fact he looked as cold as an ice block sent shivers down my back yet again.

"See ya 'round then..." I threw over my shoulder, quickly turning around and heading out onto the dusty streets of the capital. I sighed, yet again I chose the worst possible time to be outside on Heavy Melder. I ducked my head down and pulled my hat over my face as well.

Now why did the owner freak out over Harlock's name? Is he a local bandit? No the owner would've recognised him... So why? Considering my very limited knowledge on recent events in space, I could've very easily missed something. I knew about the earth saga, the overthrow of the Gaia Coalition and that's about it... I thought about the Coalition, it used to be the "government" of colonized space, but really they were running a huge scam. Now the New Order, a group of the 10 main representatives of the colonies, were slowly putting everything back in order. So I left it at that. He was probably just a new face I the whole of the things I've haven't heard of yet.

That's when I rammed into someone. Knocking myself back.

"WATCH IT KID!" I looked up to see a group of men, one of which looked really mad. They smelled of alcohol and they each had a cigar in their mouth. Eh oh...

"Yeah Kid! Watch where you place your feet! Boss let's teach her an lesson!" The one on the side called out chuckling. Man, what a suck up. I got up and dusted myself off. " I'm sorry I didn't see ya there. Are you okay?" I mocked subtly. Probably not the smartest thing to do, but whatever.

"Why you..." He made to punch me but I dodged, ducking down and knocking his legs out from out of him with my foot. Quick as a snake, I drew my gun and pointed it at his heart. His gang made to move but I tricked the safety on my gun, showing I could kill their boss if I wanted too. "I won't do it, but I could. Remember _Kid._ The world is full of dangerous gangsters." I smirked, pointing my gun at his heart again then putting back in its holster. Swiftly, I turned and walked away, before they grew brains and decided to jump me as a group from behind.

I walked around all day, asking around to see if anyone had a job they needed down, I went to the ship yard and docks, but this time of the year there was only two ships coming in, and I had already missed them. It was now sometime around 6 in the evening and I was sat on a porch on the edge of the city, overlooking the desert.

"Hey Boss! Look it's that kid from last time! A voice shouted from behind me. I jumped up and turned around. "Let's get'er boys!" I watched in horror as the gang from earlier came charging my way. I turned and rocketed away. Running for my life into the desert. "Why does this always happen to me?" I sighed under my breath.

I ran and they followed, I was just getting tired and slowing down when I realised that I couldn't hear them anymore. Just to be safe I ran more, the sky gradually getting darker and darker until I could hardly see my feet. That's when I stopped, and as soon as I did I collapsed onto my knees. I stayed there for god knows how long, slowly evening out my breath again and waiting till my heart stopped racing. I checked the time on my watch. 9:30. I had been running for 3 hours straight.

I looked up and struggled to my feet, wobbling a bit but soon getting my footing. I looked around. This was what I could see: Night sky, Stars, Heavy Melder's 3 moons and a couple of flashing lights off into the distance. Wait what?! I looked back at the flashing lights. Now why would there be flashing lights in the middle of a desert? I'm nowhere near any towns, and there aren't any spaceships... Hey wait there is one! The mystery ship, who that would mean I'm at least 5 miles into the desert. I walked closer, and then closer and closer still. Until I was about 40 meters away from the most horrifying, awesome battleship I've ever seen.

No wonder everyone was terrified of it. Frankly I couldn't blame them. First of all, it. Was. HUGE! Its prow was a blunt ram, obviously built for crashing into and destroying other battleships, a huge, red-eyed skull and cross-bones adorned it. The hulls was long and attached to its stern, facing forwards, were two long, sharp, deadly blades probably there for added efficiency when ramming other ships. The helm was nestled between the two blades atop a short tower. The rest of the ship behind the helm-tower was modelled like an old pirate ship and made out of metal and glass. On top of this section was a short mast placed at an angle bearing a black flag with yet another skull and cross bones in white. To add to its deadly, sinister ghost ship-like appearance, 3 energy canons with 3 turrets each lined the top of it, place on what seemed like a rail, allowing them to move at 360o degrees around the ship in battle. Another energy canon was place on the bottom of the ship, along with another shorter blade. Many other guns lined the sides of the ship and one turret right in front of the helm-tower seemed like it was made for rapid fire. The hull door was open.

I then had the stupidest, most idiotic idea in the world.

No wait, scratch that.

I had the stupidest, most idiotic idea in the history of _mankind._

 **On the deadly, sinister ghost ship-like ship itself...**

"All set Captain!"

"Engines running perfectly!"

"All gun turrets in working order!"

The crew fired up the Arcadia easily, having done it for years. Everything was running smoothly, and the engines kicked off with a satisfying screech. The Captain smiled, here they go again, on another adventure.

"All right then, Arcadia lift off, We'll exit the atmosphere at a 60o degree angle, engines 50% speed of light, atmosphere shutters closed, warp engines standby, once we get 5000 space clicks out of Heavy Melder's orbit set warp course to the Horse Head Nebula."

"Aye Captain." Kei stated.

The Captain then left Logan to direct the ship further till they reached their destination. Leaving the helm, the Captain walked down the metal hallways of his ship. He knew the Arcadia inside out, every twist and turn, every dent and scar. He had seen her being made alongside her maker, his one and only true friend. He sighed, does were the golden days of the Arcadia. Before the day he changed everything. Now, his friend was cursed to inhabit the ships metal hull, he was to forever pilot it in a life without death and Miime, the only one who could control the powerful dark matter engine and the resident alien on board was forever bond to him and the ship. For 100 lonesome years filled with the desire to restart everything by destroying everything, he had sailed like this. But now he had found hope. And he and his crew were sailing towards something else. Setting their goals on another, higher, peak.

The Captain passed a window, revealing the cold twinkling stars in space all around them and another memory struck him. This one was too painful to remember, and without daring to think about it he shoved it back down. He never wanted to see it again. He swiftly walked away, deeper into the Arcadia's frame.

Without realising it, his feet led him straight to the main computer room, and when he looked up from his thoughts, he was standing in front of the main computer, the heart and soul of the Arcadia, without it nothing would work. It was a huge circular contraption, standing in the middle of the circular computer room. It was attached to both the floor and the ceiling. Thousands of tiny lights, gauges, valves and other parts made up the whole and around it, on the ground, forming a sort of segmented wall, were data-banks 7 feet high. Cords 3 feet thick ran from it, and the captain often sat on them while he talked to his old friend.

For this ship was special. Not just because of its unique engine or the immortal man that stood at the helm, but for the conscious of the man how built it, trapped to forever live within the steel hull of his master piece. The irony of it made the captain smile bitterly, and not for the first time. What better fate for a man that lived for his work to live _in_ his work, with his best friend and the one who gave him the technology to actually build the dark matter engine cursed to forever stay with him.

The Captain walked over to the biggest cord and sat down near the main computer, bowing his shoulders and letting his head fall into his hands. He sighed, he was so tired of this.

"Oh my friend, how you cannot begin to imagine how much I yearn to sit down with you once again with a good glass of wine and talk till the morning light comes and goes..."

As if in response, the massive computer went into a flurry of beeps and of flashing lights. If you were paying attention, you could've felt the tiny tremor the ship gave at the same moment. The Captain smiled sadly, picturing his friend in his usual battered up brown poncho and matching hat standing in front of him as he scolded the captain of such thoughts.

"I know, we have lived far too long to look back—" The Captain was interrupted by the computer. And He immediately jumped up at what it had to say. "What do you mean there is an intruder?!"

Again the ship burst off into a long and complicated sequence of beeps, the Captain being the only one who could hear his friend voice, and he was quickly getting confused with what his old friends was yapping on about.

He listened on has his friend told him where the intruder was, and that it was actually a young girl, around 15 years old. Once the Captain was sure that the computer had finished, he spoke.

"I will not do anything about this, I will wait till she comes to me and I will take care of her as I see fit. " He then got up and turned to leave, but the parting words of his friend made him pause. He turned towards the computer with a puzzled look in his one good eye.

"What do you mean 'more than meets the eye' old friend?"

But for once the ship remained quiet, for it knew that with the arrival of this intruder, came the beginning of a whole new adventure for the crew of the Arcadia and its immortal Captain.

The Captain gave his friend one last look, before leaving the room and heading to his own private quarters. Miime was waiting for him, already sat down at the table with a bottle of wine and playing a soft tune on her harp.

She looked up as he entered the room. "How is he? I know you were talking to him." She asked in her soft, whispery voice.

The Captain didn't say a word, for he knew Miime was just asking him as a standard, and not to actually know. She knew very well everything that happened on this ship. Instead, he sat down and poured himself a glass of his favourite drink and sat down, swirling the deep, blood red wine in the glass before taking a sip.

"We have an intruder Miime." He said after a little while spent in silence. Still playing the soft tune on the harp, Miime cast her gaze to the Captain.

"And how are you going to deal with her?"

"I'm not."

"I see..." The conversation dropped, and Miime finished her tune, letting the cavernous room fall into a comfortable silence. Then she stood up.

"I am going to see how Logan and the others are doing on the bridge." She nodded her head once in the Captain's direction, and left the room, the huge, ornately carved double doors closing with a surprisingly soft click for a door that heavy.

The Captain got up, the glass of wine still in his hand and walked over to the wall of glass that formed the back wall of his quarters. He stood there peering out into the vast extent of black and sparkling little stars that was space, wondering just what was going to happen next.

He smiled and took another sip of his wine. Whatever it was, he thought to himself, it started with the intruder's arrival... and will most likely quite a ride.

This made him chuckle and, for the first time in ages, the Captain had something to look forward too.


	4. Chapter 3

"I'm an Idiot, I'm an idiot, I'm an idiot, I'm an Idiot, I'm an idiot, I'm an idiot, I'm an Idiot, I'm an idiot, I'm an idiot I'm an Idiot, I'm an idiot, I'm an idiot, I'm an Idiot..."

I was mumbling to myself, why? Don't ask me... Maybe it was because I was crazy. This would be sure enough proof to prove that I was... I was a _very_ BIG idiot. Why?! Why did I do this?! WHY!?

"Crew members of the Arcadia, there is an intruder on board. If you find him or her, you can shoot, but not to kill. I want it _alive. Alive_ you hear me?!"

Darn it! Now they know I'm here... Hey! I know that voice, but I can't quite place it... The comlink of the huge Battle ship crackle shut and I looked around the hall I was in. I scuttled to a small passage way at the same moment some men ran around the corner and sped past, I sighed. I had just made it.

I was now officially doomed. We were in space, so I couldn't just walk, or more like sneak, back off. I didn't know the colossal ship's halls at all and I was hungry. Ok maybe that wasn't my most pressing matter but it would become one... And my earlier statement wasn't exactly true. I know I've never been on this ship in my life, but I caught myself recognising some of the twist and turns in its maze of halls, like a sense of déjà vu.

I sighed... What was I gonna do? I will most likely never see Heavy Melder again, and frankly I didn't want too. I knew there was around 40 men, plus the Captain, First mate and second in command on this ship, I had seen the men board last night at departure, but I have yet to see the ranking members of the bridge. I sat down against the metal wall, my knees pulled tightly to my stomach and my arms wrapped around them. My poncho was spread behind me, and my hat was pulled down over my face, casting my slate blue-grey eyes into shadows. I sighed. I have to get a plan of action...

"I have to find a way to stay hidden... At least till we get to the next planet... But who knows when that'll be!" I mumbled to myself. I felt like crying, but I was no coward so I didn't. I was tired, cold, starting to get hungry and frustrated.

I eventually got up, my sore limbs protesting. I wonder how much time has passed. No more than an hour since I sat down more or less.

"First things first, in need to find somewhere to hide out, then the kitchen, and then," I smirked pumping my fist, "The Bathroom!"

I looked back and forth down the hall, making sure no one was around, and made my way thru the ship. Carefully and with weary senses I made the tour of the ship, sometimes getting close to being caught. It took I don't know how many hours, but by the time I sat down again too rest I had a mental map of 4 of the 15 or so floors of the ship. They were the two top ones, which were basically the technical and gun related floors, all the main wires and stations were place there. I figured the crew quarters and main computer room entrances were in the middle, with another technical and navigational section of floors underneath. Apart from the main build of the ship, there were the Captain's quarters in the far back, the bridge and its tower, the engine room and this mystery space in the far front of the ship, most likely behind the ram, that I was not able to see for the door was locked and heavily blocked off.

I had found the kitchen and the biggest bathroom by accident, stumbling upon them when I made to hide from a certain group of crew members that kept following me. 'All that's left now is a place to hide out...' I thought. I stopped near a wall and rested a bit, slightly out of breath. I looked up threw one of the many holes in my hat and poked at it.

"It's over there!"

I whirled around to see the same gang of men from before standing right near the corner where the hall took a sharp turn. They were three and all had guns blazing and war axes ready. I cursed myself for lowering my guard and took off like a bullet in the opposite direction, just has a laser shot hit the floor where my feet just were.

Heavy footsteps rang out behind me as the men gave chase and I fled down another hall way, rocketing round one corner or the next, trying to shake the growling crew members. Right, left, straight, left again, careful wet floor, wait, what!? All along the accursed men never laid up, sometimes at my heels and sometimes a mile off. Finally, I looked back once and realised that instead of 3 men chasing me, the group had expended to a roaring mass of 20 men all yelling for bloody murder.

We ran for what seemed forever, and I suddenly spotted a narrow hall to the right. 'Good' I smirked, 'the mass of pirates will defiantly not make it threw that all at once' I thought. The hall came closer and closer, and thank space too cause the men were snapping at my boots. 'Now!' I thought and vaulted into the hall, using my weight and momentum to rocket around the sharp corner and into the darkness beyond. I heard with no small amount of satisfaction the crew yelp in surprise and curse as they were pushed by each other in an attempt to follow me. The last time I looked back they were a rolling mess and in a rage to catch me, kept pushing each other down.

I didn't look back no more. I sprinted to the faint light at the end of an otherwise pitch black hall and soon exploded out the other side. I had just enough time to turn before I ran into the wall opposite and stopped. I looked around, and let out a breath. I was sore and took a moment to catch my almost gone breath. Thought I soon got going again when I heard curses come from the narrow hall.

I swear I've never ran like I did that day... thank space for all those harsh years alone on Heavy Melder, without the stamina, speed and endurance I gained I would have fallen prey to those brutes a _long_ time ago.

I jogged towards the end of the bigger hallway I was in, this one having lights in the walls. I realised once I got nearer that the end of the hall was in fact an elevator, and before the crew could even catch up I was in it and waving at them with a sheepish grin on my face. As soon as the doors closed I let out a sigh, bending down and letting my now extremely sore muscles relax a bit, for now, in this elevator, I was safe. I had no idea where I was or where I was headed, but I was safe.

That is till those blasted elevator doors opened and I realised I was in the main bridge. The helm. The place where the Captain directs his mighty ship.

"Oh Dan it all..." I swore but looked into the huge room with awe.

The elevator was on the far right corner of a raised platform, which held the main controls, an old styled boat wheel, and what looked like the engine controls. The wheel was in the middle of the platform with the two main control stations further out onto the platform on either side, behind it was what I thought looked like a chair and right next to the elevator was the so-called engine controls. On both sides of the platform were curved, beautifully carved black staircases, and on the lower floor I saw glimpses of navigational, radar, aiming systems and cloaking controls. The ceiling was high above my head and a map for light speed transport stretched across it. The walls had all kinds of dials, gauges and tubes for various uses hooked on them and the far wall, the one facing the elevator, was made up entirely (except the reinforced space metal alloy bars laid vertically to hold it up) of doubled 13 inch space glass.

The room was a sight to be seen, and I'm sure I looked like a fish with my mouth agape, but it was deserted. Not one soul could be seen... Except the one that cleared its throat just then. Oh great... Just great. I gulped and looked at the figure now standing in front of the wheel.

I knew who it was just by the Gravity Sabre held firmly in one hand (*cough*and the wild brown hair*cough*), but it shocked me all the same, after all, who expected him to be here? Ok, Ok whatever, maybe I should've expected it but come on...

"Mr. Creepy Van Creepy-stein!?" I managed to choke out. For it really was him, the same stranger from the bar on Heavy Melder.

"What are you doing on my ship?" He questioned viciously, his words full of venom, all sighs of bitter playfulness from our meeting at the bar evaporated. As if I was an old enemy he was butt determined to erase from the face of the universe. His eyes were cold and hostile, a look that would make the most cold-hearted pirate in the universe flinch and look away. I gave all my courage to the devil the moment I locked gazes with him without flinching. That's it I realised, he was no cargo Captain like I had assumed... he was a pirate. And in that moment I laughed bitterly inside my head, I left Heavy Melder and stowed away on a bloody pirate ship. That's why the dark aura that was with him then and now was there. He _was_ in fact _"The most cold-hearted pirate in the universe"_ quoting my own thoughts just moments before. I stared at the tip of his Sabre held without so much as a millimetre of movement, like the man who was holding it was made of stone. It was aimed squarely between my eyes.

"If I had known it was _your_ ship, let alone a pirate ship I wouldn't have stowed away..." I muttered softly, my voice hoarse and my throat dry under his never ending glare.

Just as I finish my words Harlock lunged at me, Sabre aimed for the heart. I had just enough time to throw myself to one side and draw my own Sabre before he turned for another attack. This blow I parried and before he could counter again I back flipped away, just to get some distance between me and him. Thank god the bridge was so big and deserted... I didn't want to trip over anything in an unknown space. The captain thought had that advantage, this was his ship and he kinda obviously knew it like the back of his hand.

I backed up, feeling the back of the chair brush against my poncho, I had a light bulb moment, and when Harlock lunged next I threw myself to the side, the sharp sound of metal against metal rang out as his Sabre collided with the chair. I took my chance with the distraction and made to hit his shoulder with a nice powerful swing. It never hit. He moved so fast that he not only parried my hit, but also sent me a solid kick to stomach. I flew back and landed with a crash against the helm. I still had my sabre in hand and I quickly got back to my feet, just in time to avoid a laser shot from his weapon. I leaped at him, changing from defence to offense.

We exchanged blows for a bit each coming to a stale mate. I was surprised at my skill, I had never had a proper sword to sword duel before. Harlock was faster, stronger and had more experience than me, but I held fast. I jumped back after another spat of blows, sparks flying. We circled each other, eyes never leaving the other. My arm stung in several spots where he nicked me and a longer cut on my shin was slowly bleeding. I knew that on the contrary I hadn't even touched Harlock yet... 'Damn he's good' I thought. I was getting tired, my breath came in heavy gasps. My little run right before certainly didn't help much. I lifted my sword In front of me, grabbing it with my other hand, waiting for his next move. He looked at me, and shifted his weight to one side, I tensed knowing he was going to lunged, and he did.

What happened next seemed like slow motion. Harlock shot forward, I swiped my sabre to cut across his chest. In a fluid motion he ducked, and brought his sabre from his left straight across my stomach. I got thrown back again, this time with a shallow but painful cut to my belly. I gagged because of the force behind the hit and fell back 5 feet from where I was. I landed hard, my head bouncing of the metal floor and making a small snap. I moaned in pain a bit and closed my eyes, the real world spinning so much it was making me dizzy.

I opened them a moment later, letting my eyes readjust to the gloom of the bridge. They focused onto the tip of his sabre, maybe a centimetre away from my nose. I bit my lip and looked past it to the man holding the weapon. I knew he had no objection whatsoever to offing me and getting back to whatever space pirate captains do. I knew I was going to die. I didn't want to die, of course, but hey, what can I say? Bad luck comes to me like pirates to gold... Ok bad pun but whatever. I sighed.

"Are you going to kill me yet?" I said, getting annoyed that he was just standing there not doing anything. I was flat on my back, my arms spread out and my sabre out of reach. It would be fool hardy to try to make a grab at my gun, and tall, dark and creepy was staring at me.

"Answer my question." Harlock growled. I had to keep myself from flinching at the cold sound. Yet I managed to meet his gaze every time. I looked at him with one eye brow lifted.

"Um... Say what now?" I asked confused, I couldn't remember him asking a question... Unless he was talking about—

"Why are you on my ship?!" Harlock spat viciously. An edge to his voice that just _dared_ me to not answer. I gulped, looking back down to the sharp point in front of my face. To tell the truth I was freaking terrified! I fumbled for my words, the reason I was on this ship... But all I came up was my need to be off Heavy Melder's surface, the need to be in the sky. That would never fly...

"I'll ask one last time." Harlock said slowly, and in those words more venom lay then in any others. "Why are you on _the Arcadia_?"

I looked him straight in the eye. _"Better to die and honest fool then a worthless liar."_ Words that my thought-to-be-father taught me long ago. I made up my mind and set my face in grim determination. Yes, determination even though I'm pinned to the floor spread out like a goose and without my sabre in hand. Determination that I was ready to and gladly would take to my grave. I took in a big breath and told him why.

"For Freedom. I felt trapped on Heavy Melder, Grounded, like a bird with no wings. In the few hours I've actually _had flight_... other then the fact you found me and I was chased around, I've loved it. I'm fully aware that your gonna kill me, but please do so in the air." I finished, waiting for either a shot to the brain or a good old head chop off.

A moment passed.

And another.

Neither of us broke eye contact. It was the staring contest of the century. I was waiting for death... Hell if I know what he was doing... contemplating how to kill me perhaps?

I was prepared. Completely prepared. For death, the afterlife, nirvana, Hell whatever came my way I was prepared. I narrowed my gaze, and was just about to ask him what his problem was, when he lowered his sabre.

Remember I said I was prepared? Course you do it was not even 2 seconds ago... Unless you have gold fish memory... Anyway off topic! I was prepared, yes, for anything and everything. Or so I thought.

I was prepared for things like this: "That's a fool's wish!" Or "Idiot." And then bang, death.

Harlock sheathed his Sabre looked down at me, one hand on his hip.

"Welcome to the Arcadia."

You can sure as hell bet I wasn't prepared for that. Ever. In that moment the world seemed like one big puzzle and the only thing you can say when the world is one big mind blow... is this trusty sentence.

"What tha heck?"


	5. Chapter 4

"What Tha Heck?!"

She stared at me like I had two heads. I smirked darkly. Of course she would be shocked, after all it's not every day something like this happens to happen. I look at her now wide Slate Grey eyes– well eye, one was hidden by a ban.

"You were trying to kill me not even 20 seconds ago for frig sake!"

I was amused by her comment yet intrigued at the same time, not just at the situation, but at _her_ entirely. She knew she fought well, she knew I fought better. She knew she was nothing compared to me, in my experience, my skill, my everything, yet she did not falter or whimper or beg for mercy. Though she was completely out gunned from the start she kept on going. Once I had her on the ground with my sabre pointed straight at her she hadn't begged for me to spare her, she didn't scream in fear, she looked straight into my eyes with a sudden determination that almost took me by surprise and said her reason with courage.

For freedom.

She was an intriguing girl indeed. She would make a fine captain one day. She gazed at me waiting for the deathblow... Even getting annoyed when I didn't do anything. I decided myself. She could stay on my ship, she did after all say the password.

"Yes, but you proved yourself worthy of living, even worthy of a spot on my ship. Freedom is the password for the Arcadia." I said still standing there one hand on my sabre.

She huffed and sat up scratching her head, she winced and looked at her hand, her glove darkened by blood. She grimaced but got up slowly, taking time because of her injured leg and stomach. Once on her feet she dusted herself off and faced me once more.

"Does this mean I stay on this ship forever?" she asked with a contemplating expression.

"Forever is a long time. You can leave whenever you want, just tell me and we'll drop you off on the nearest planet." I said, looking at her curiously. She didn't seem to like the prospect of going back on a planet surface anytime soon by her deepened frown.

"You, Captain Harlock, have a new crew member." She made to shake my hand but gasped and clutched her stomach as a wave of pain stabbed her. I grimaced, I guess I cut her deeper than I thought. Her eyes were shut tight and her teeth clenched. She wavered on her feet and pitched forward, I caught her and kept her up she was barely conscious.

"What's your name?" I asked, picking her up and jogging toward the elevator the best I could without shaking her.

"My... Name? It's Phantom F. ..." She drifted into darkness and I hurried toward the Infirmary wing. I passed Kei on my way there and motioned for her to follow without a word. Phantom was turning paler by the minute. My frown deepened... let's hope I didn't kill my newest recruit by accident. I cursed myself for thinking that, she was my responsibility till she got better and even then she will be a member of my crew. I reached the small hospital ward and knocked on the door, hoping the doctor wasn't out doing check-ups on the staff. Mercifully he opened the door. His eyes widened when he saw the girl in my arms and swung the door wide, hurrying into the room and preparing a bed, I walked in placing her on the nearest one.

"I guess we needn't worry about the intruder no more?" he questioned, getting out various tools and disinfectants. The Doctor, known as Dr. Zero, was the Arcadia's only surgeon, he was a good doc and would go to any means necessary to keep his patients in bed till they're fit for combat. I shook my head.

"She ran into the main bridge, put up a good fight." Was all I said. The doctor shot me a look, but murmured something and went to examining her wounds. Minutes passed, Kei and I watching the Doctor do his work. I noticed Kei glance at the deep wound on Phantom's stomach, but not because of the obvious. Apart from the fresh wound, a few old- but quite surprising in size- scars adorned her sides, one going from her left hip to four ribs higher. This too made me lift an eyebrow, she hasn't lived the easy life that's for sure, but at this young an age? What was her age any way? No more than 17... I shook my head, just slightly. I would find my information in due time, right now I had to concentrate on her living long enough to tell me.

Time passed, and by now I realized Dr. Zero was doing a full body exam. Kei must've realized this too for she had taken a seat a long time ago. I stood with my arms crossed. Finally, the doctor sat back and sighed, rubbing his forehead with the back of his hand.

"Well, the wounds she received in battle are fine, but the one on her stomach will take longer." He looked at me as if to say If-you-don't-aim-to-kill-your-opponent-don't-try-so-damn-hard-next-time! I shrugged and looked briefly over the unconscious girl, she seemed to have better colors now.

"Other than her wounds, she is thoroughly exhausted... and not just because the crew's been chasing her around the ship, this is a long term exhaustion from traveling for some time. She obviously had quite the work-out before coming on board this ship too, and to add to it her fight with you will not have helped!" he finished, passionately for a crew member talking to the captain, thought being the doc gained him access to all kinds of things...

"Ready to tell us just what happened on the bridge?" Kei piped up from her spot on the seat at the foot of the bed. I slightly turned towards her.

"She came, we duelled, she got hurt, I came here. Also, she is our new crew mate. You are to take care of her once she gets better. That's why your here, please inform the rest on your way out." I dismissed her and she nodded, getting up promptly and walking out the door.

''I would suggest keeping her here..." Dr. Zero started but I quickly shook my head.

"She'll be staying near my cabin. I'll keep an eye on her." The doctor seemed to go to protest but closed his mouth. He knew I would have a good reason for doing so. That and I shot him one of my looks. He sighed resignedly and passed a hand over his face.

"Fine, but I'll be checking on her for the next day or so." I nodded and picked Phantom up, leaving the doc to fill up some paper or another. Thought, I couldn't help but let a light smile dance on my lips.

I had the best crew.

And with that I strode down the hallway choosing the perfect place for Phantom's room.

 **A few days later... Maybe only a couple of hours...**

 **Ah Hell who knows!**

I sat up, groaning. I felt like a bunch of bricks had fallen on me, only to be taken off and thrown on me again. I brought my hand to my head, a massive headache was brewing I could feel it. I flumped back down on the slightly stiff mattress and threw the covers over my head. Two things struck me like a wrecking ball.

1-My stomach hurt like hell

2-How did I get in a bed...?

I flung the covers up again, and sat bolt upright, observing the room I was in. The sudden movement made pain shot like a bullet up my arm, striking in several places and bull's eying in on the cut on my stomach with pinpoint accuracy. I clenched my teeth, taking deep breaths till the pain passed, moments later. I sighed and swung my legs over the bed side, although it stung like no tomorrow now, my wounds would heal up in a matter of a few days, they always did. I've been healing faster than normal for as long as I could remember... but from now till then they would hurt all the more.

I got to my feet, my steps wobbly at first but straightening up after a bit. I swept over the room once more. It was very spacious... if I didn't know better I'd say it was as big as the bridge. One my right various pipes, most likely filled with various other electrical wires, spanned the whole right wall, gauges and dials placed here and there, the pipes ran the whole length of the ceiling as well. On my left three deep holes were aligned with gears turning half inside half out of the wall. I sighed, the back wall was blank, other than a tall wood dresser and another door leading somewhere unknown. I turned around and gasped. The whole wall I was facing was made of glass, giving me a first class view of space and the Arcadia's prow. The bed stood squarely in the middle of the windowed wall. One side was built into a desk area, with a high table spanning the length of that side and 2 stools neatly tucked under the wooden counter. The other side harboured a round table placed exactly in the middle of that part of the room, it looked to have a very comfy chair on one side... Jeez how many tables did one need? The bed itself was simple with a fluffy red blanket and white sheets.

I sighed. Well ok, this seemed to be a pretty nice room. But what about Harlock? What happened? I paced room, one hand behind my back and the other under my chin in thought. I remember passing out... After that fight and the offer to join his crew. He probably brought me here... I sighed, flopping down on the bed.

"What next?" I asked no one in particular. I chuckled closing my eyes and bringing my knees under my chin. Maybe this was all a dream. One big glorious dream. One way to know I suppose...

"Owww" I whined rubbing my arm. Ok maybe pinching myself wasn't a good idea... At least now I know it's not a dream...

*Knock*

*Knock*

I looked up. Who could it be? I wonder...

"Yes? Come in... I think it's unlocked." I called, putting my legs down and putting my hair into as much of order as I could. The door open silently and a lady walked in. At least I think it was a lady... She (for I assume it was a she, because of some obvious reasons present *cough*) was obviously not human, and looked kinda like an elf. She had long green hair, and pale green skin. She had big pupil-less very pale green eyes and pointed ears. She looked beautiful... in a way. That's when I realized I was staring and quickly shifted my gaze.

"Umm... Hello?" I asked cautiously. I didn't know if the crew knew I was here... she could very well call back up and I'd be done for. Unless the Captain came of course. Which was unlikely. Scrap.

"Do not worry. The ship told me you were here. I am Miime, the girl who pledged her life to Harlock." The now identified Miime said in a soft, whisper calm voice.

I lifted an eyebrow.

"Last time I checked ships do not talk."

"There can be exceptions."

"Oh."

Maybe everyone on this ship needed a doctor... Even the non-humans. I looked past her at the door.

"So no back up of raging pirates coming to toast me over a pit-fire?"

"No. Your safe."

She said with a hint of a smile and a ghost of a chuckle... Thought it could be my imagination. Nevertheless I sighed and relaxed a bit, shown only by a twitch in my mouth, making my unsure frown a default smirk. Maybe she could tell me what happened to fill in my memory gaps.

"Well, I'm Phantom F. Do you perhaps, maybe know how long I've been unconscious?" I ask, crossing my legs on the bed.

"Not long, 45 hours, almost 2 days." Miime says in the same calm monotone. Thought I noticed something changed once she heard my name. I wonder what... I stored that bit of information for later.

"Jeez... that long heh? I must have been knocked good."

"The doctor said it was because of your exhaustion, it was apparent you haven't had a good sleep in some time." She looked me in the eye. "How long have you been traveling young one?"

I remained quiet, not up to answering that one. I looked out the window and into space... I wasn't ready to spill my life to them just yet. A few moments passed, then Miime dipped her head in a respectful kind of nod.

"When you are ready." She said even softer, if that was possible. And with that she silently slipped back out the door and was gone.

I sighed, laying back and crossing my arms behind my head. Years could've passed and I wouldn't have noticed. I was busy watching the stars pass by lazily and eventually, I didn't even notice when the very same stars lulled me to sleep.

That night, or day for that matter, was the first time I truly slept before the stars.

And that was first night/day I truly slept peacefully.


	6. Chapter 5

"She's a fighter isn't she?" A playful voice said. The tones echoed around the cavernous room and bounced back, making them sound louder than they actually were.

"She's survived this long hasn't she?" Another answered, this one was deeper, sounding more mature and aged then the first. Thought it was monotone, and no light heartedness shone through like the first.

"Yes, yes she has." The first said giggling.

"And we will see if she survives longer." The second replied in the same steady monotone.

"Yes, yes we shall."

"Captain there is a ship coming towards us from sector V-13."

"Zoom the image to the big screen and put up its coordinates on the map."

"Aye Captain."

The "big screen" was a huge durable plasma screen which consisted of the whole ceiling of the main bridge, quite handy for battle strategies and hurried space warps. For now, this huge screen hummed softly to life, displaying a high quality image of a ship. A collective gasp was heard from the crew present, the Arcadia itself seemed to hum in thought.

"But…But it can't be!" The chubby first mate exclaimed. He was a man of small stature, with a permanent three day scruff of a beard along his jaws. He wore a striped blue and white shirt with round glasses and a black skull-adorned bandana around his head. He adjusted his said glasses to make sure he was seeing the screen correctly.

"Those haven't been around for a century!" A young man said in his turn of disbelief. Though he had no proper rank, he was arguably the official/non-official Captain's apprentice. He was also, as most crew members saw him, the spitting image of the captain, with an eye-patch and perfectly matched scar to boot from a recent battle.

"Watch it boys, Captain's right there." The other ranked member of the Arcadia said edgily. The blonde and brown eye lieutenant herself, with her hot pink uniform and thigh-high black boots, stood wide-eyed at the image.

The figure sitting behind the trio cleared his throat, as if to make a point. He stood, about a couple inches or more above them. His cape flowed in an invisible breeze and his one eye shone coldly in the light of the bridge.

"Yataran, get a full diagnosis of the ship. Logan, slow speed to Cruiser 2 and Kei get a boarding party ready." He addressed them in turn, authority almost a material object ringing from his words.

"Aye Captain."

The said captain nodded and walked to the wheel, gently directing his ship toward the other with precision and skill gained only by unfathomable years of experience. His crew was working with the orders confidently, and soon the reports were in and the Arcadia was slowing to the required speed.

"So what has the diagnosis revealed first mate?" The Captain questioned.

"As it is shone, this ship is a legit Vazor-Class Commanding Cruiser. Registered as the Matrix SS-10, went missing 67 years ago. No signs of life, thought fully operational with all main functions running full power… all except oddly enough life support or any of the main lighting." Yataran read, taking the report as it came through.

"Maybe the support failed and the crew died as a result." Kei suggested.

"Do you really think there would be anything worthwhile inside?" Logan asked the Captain, who had now completely halted his ship a space kilometer from the Vazor.

He remained silent, feeling that something was off about the silent silhouette ahead. But this didn't stop the first mate.

"You never know Logan, you might find something interesting, anything to stop this boredom from nothing happening."

"But what happened to that intruder then?" Logan asked, surprised that Yataran seemed to have forgotten the intruder that gave him the slip a few days ago.

Kei chuckled, glancing knowingly at the Captain who had yet to announce the new 'crew member' or the fate of the intruder. But that was something for a later time.

"Hush boys, let's concentrate on our current fish to fry." She said, looking at Logan and Yataran in turn pointedly.

Logan found it odd that no one in the higher ranks seemed to know what happened, but let it go to 'mental notes for later' in his list of priorities. One thing was for sure, the main crew was rip roaring mad that they had let an intruder of apparent young age slip though their fingers on their own ship. Logan glanced at the captain, what was he hiding?

"Alright then, Logan, Yataran and Kei I want you to come with me on this boarding party. Yataran, take as many documentary pictures as you need." The Captain said, putting the ship into place slowly by the Vazor.

"All three of us Captain?!" Logan said with no little shock.

The Captain sent one of his chilling trademark looks. "Yes, all three of you. Do you think I do not trust my crew to take care of my ship?" He questioned coldly.

Logan had to force himself not to wince under the merciless gaze. "No Captain." He mumbled.

"Good answer. Let's go." He said turning away and walking towards the elevator off the bridge. Yataran walked past followed by Kei, who patted Logan on the back with a small smile before walking on. Logan smiled back and followed, the elevator doors sliding closed behind him.

Within no time they were in the forward port (Left) side hangar. The men that Kei had recruited for this joined them moments after, they too were surprised that the Captain had all commanding crew members with him and that he himself would be going, but said nothing more and silently got their space suits and equipment ready.

"Everyone ready?" Kei asked, looking at the four men that had joined them. In total it was a boarding party of 8 lead by the Captain. The men nodded, and holstered their guns. The walkway that connected to two battle ships was already in place and Logan, Yataran and the Captain all stood next to the opening. The later nodded and turned, walking onto the transparent boardwalk, followed by the men and the ranking members who took up the rear.

The circular entrance that had been cut in the hull of the ship through the hangar doors gaped ahead of them, and the crew all wondered just what was waiting for them on the mystery ship.

 _I was outside a ship's window, peering inside it. Just like always. I knew this was a dream, the same as always. There was a man, dressed in a cape and dark clothing with only one eye, but this time I knew who it was and it shocked me to the bone. Captain Harlock! The rest of his face was dark but I could tell he was in pain and he was crying because of something that had happened. What could've the Captain be witnessing to make him cry?! He seemed unshakeable! The ship was in flames, and this time I knew it was the Arcadia. An explosion was going off every couple of seconds, the corridor Harlock was standing in was filled with debris. He had one hand reached out towards something, he was screaming an inaudible word before an explosion threw him out of my view and destroyed the place he was standing. I gasped and felt like I wanted to scream, but no sound came. I knew what came next._

 _"_ _Nooooo!" A woman screamed._

I sat bolt upright, breathing heavily and sweating albeit the cool temperature of the room. Although there was no mirror, I knew my eyes were wide and panicked. I sighed, looking around the now familiar room and calming myself down. I took a couple deep breaths and a few minutes later I was fine.

"Well that was a new one…" I mumbled, thinking about my nightmare. Why had Harlock been in it? Why did the ship resemble the Arcadia when I had never seen it before now? Surely Harlock hadn't freaked me out _that_ much. I stretched, reassigning my search for answer till a later time. I would find out soon. I felt it.

"One thing's for sure… The answers are on this ship. I know it. And I will find it!" I vowed smirking. I looked around again, taking in my room again. It was dark now, only faint lights shone from the corners of the room and from the stars outside. I got up and stretched again, noticing that even though I was sleeping above the covers of the bed I had managed to make a mess of it. I frowned in annoyance and made it up again.

I shivered, grabbing my poncho from the back of a chair, it wasn't just me, and the room was most defiantly not at a normal temperature… In fact was that my breath? I growled, my stomach shooting sharp bits of pain every so often. My arm was also sore, but all the other little cuts and bruises were all healed up.

I walked towards the windows, gazing at the Arcadia's prow in front of me. I frowned again. Something wasn't right. None of the normal lights that were spread across the Arcadia were on, and now that I was more awake, I couldn't hear any of the normal sounds of a Battle ship, the most important of which was the powerful and constant hum of the engines and I couldn't hear it.

"Something is most defiantly and seriously wrong." I growled frowning even more. The cold forgotten, I turned and walked toward one of the screens on the right wall, hoping it wasn't dead like the rest of the ship seemed. I tapped it. Nothing. I looked around it for a turn on button. Nothing.

"Oh come on! Open up!" I growled in frustration. It blinked to life. I deadpanned, voice activation…. Should've guessed.

I looked at the screen, which was a schematic of the current running functions. Only life support and minimum lighting.

"Well ok then… Full Ship Schematic." I said clearly. The screen went black, then white with a bold blue schematic of the Arcadia. On the left side a list of reports scrolled at a frantic pace and on the right side it read that the Arcadia was currently parked next to another ship. That caught my eye, along with a bold red panel at the bottom that said: 'Life forms currently on board: 1'. Which would be me, I hope….

"But what happened to the rest of the crew?" I asked myself incredulously. "They couldn't have just vanished."

As if with a mind of its own, the screen's image blurred out then came back to focus as another schematic. This one was of the proposed 'parked next to ship'. I studied the image and my eyes gradually widened.

"But this is a Vazor! They should be all scrap by now!" I exclaimed looking over the familiar shape again.

Now limited knowledge on current space transport and news I may have, but I knew all the older ones. Arthur, my 'father' often bragged about his expertise in the classic battle ships, and his favorite was none other than the Vazor. He always said that, and I quote, "Maybe Vazors suck in fire power, and maybe they couldn't outrun the slowest cargo ship in space, but one thing those ships did have was the toughest hull ever made. Try to shoot that and it's like trying to cut a solid block of space grade metal with a butter knife. Not gonna happen."

Longest quote ever, but point is, the Vazor was made to be a first line ship, not for its power, but for its armor. Kinda like shields for the ships behind them.

All this was helpful sure…. If I was the captain and if we were going up against it in battle! It didn't answer just what the heck the Vazor was doing here…. I thought back to the missing crew predicament. And something clicked. Of course! The only place they could be.

"Show life forms on stranger ship." I said, wanting confirmation of what I was certain. The bold red panel pooped up on screen. It read: 'life forms detected on board stranger ship: 44'.

"Bingo." I said triumphantly. Then I faltered…. That was exactly the crew of the Acadia I think, but what about the Vazor's crew? I mean… it's not like the crew of the Arcadia had been abducted by ghosts! Maybe all the crew decided to tag along? Nah… Some would have stayed to take care of the ship…

I walked toward the windows, and leaned forward until I could see the Vazor ship next to the Arcadia. It was about half the size, maybe a bit more, of the Arcadia. I always thought they would be bigger…

"Well…" I sighed walking to the chair where my weapons were slung over. "Only one way to find out now isn't there?" I smirked, grabbing them and slinging the belts over my pants and tightening the leather strips holding the holsters in place around my legs. I swung my hat onto my head, pulling it over my face. My smirk deepened into a Cheshire cat grin. The pain from my wounds were forgotten as I headed to the door.

Time to see just where this room was.

Well I saw where the room led…. Damn ladders. Apparently, whoever chose my room thought that a person with a hurt arm could very well climb an endless ladder up and down every time they needed to go to their room! It was, if I had assumed right, directly under the main bridge, hence the huge wall of windows, which were actually the very same windows that made up the bridge's wall of windows. Now, the bridge was on top of a short tower. Made sense to have a couple elevators leading to it instead of ladders. Now, you would expect that the wacko who made this ship would equally put a mini elevator to this hidden room. But nOOOOOOOoooooo he (or she you never know) put a huge ass ladder instead!

So, as I was saying, my room led to a super long ladder, which once I climbed down, with no little amount of cursing, ended in a secret hall behind one of the elevators. This hall in turn led to the main corridor that brought you to the very same elevators. Why a secret room? Because why not!

It was a bit unnerving, all the halls were at minimum lighting, which consisted of a dim light at every 40 or so feet. I wasn't too afraid, darkness not really having scared me when I was little. Oh no, it was the scraping noises I heard every so often from the tight unlit hallways that branched off from the main ones. That got me on my toes.

Soon I was nearing the port side hangar. I slowed down to a walk, hearing more of the scraping noises from the other side of the huge bulkhead door. I growled, not exactly wanting to find out. I was a new recruit for space sake! I shouldn't have to be saving anybody this soon, let alone the whole crew if they had been caught by surprise. I stopped near the door and noticed that it was slightly a jar, just enough so that I could poke my head through and see what was inside, and responsible for this mess.

I braced myself, and looked through.

Well damn…. Wasn't expecting _that._


	7. Chapter 6

"THIS IS UNDIGNIFIED! AN OUTRAGE!"

"Logan—"

"We were jumped! And then to make matters worse they went ONBOARD THE ARCADIA AND OVERTOOK THE REST OF THE CREW!"

"Logan—"

"This is pitifully—"

"LOGAN SHUT THE HELL UP!"

I imagine everyone turned in shock to the second lieutenant Yataran. He had a reputation for never raising his voice over a commanding tone (which compared to Kei's was nothing), hearing him yell, let alone curse, at the young captain-to-be only added to the tense air in the dungeon block. Yes, dungeon. We had been jumped, and then brought to the detainment block of the Vazor ship. Then those… _Things_ that jumped us came back with all the rest of the crew… I sighed. This was such an annoyance. I was separated from the main cells where the rest of the crew were, chained to the walls, ceiling _and_ floor by a couple different chains which obviously meant that this whole thing was a plan to get me and the Arcadia, and whoever controlled this ship and those _Things_ would likely be coming to pick us up. I growled pulling at the chains once more, if I pulled the left, my right would go tighter and vice versa. You could very well say I was in a tight spot.

All this being said, the walls were somehow not thick enough to keep out Logan's loud mouth. Sometimes, just sometimes, I wished he would keep his trap shut. I sighed. Over all my years in space, and trust me there is a lot of them, I've never seen anything like this. _Things_ that looked human but had life ending wounds and more then rotten bodies, had brought us here maybe a couple hours ago but before that my party had had just enough time to see a true carnage at the entrance point of the Vazor.

First thing that had hit us was the stench, I knew the smell for it was something you never forgot, but Kei, Yataran, Logan and the rest hadn't ever smelled it before… Let's just say it was hard not to puke for those with even the most solid stomachs. It was the smell of rotting flesh. The next thing, followed directly after the stench was the dozens upon dozens of Gaia Coalition soldiers lying around, some were shot cleanly through the head and others were ripped apart savagely, as if wild dogs had gotten to them. And there weren't just Coalition soldiers, familiar Space Fox gang members, albeit a lot less than the soldiers, could be seen around.

That's when we were clubbed from the back by a group of what looked like walking, aggressive and very strong human remains. And it all comes back to the whole crew being dragged in here a little while later and me being chained up. How rotten remains could chain anything up and take over a whole ship in such a deadly small amount of time, I haven't the smallest bit of an idea. I personally have never heard of such a thing and if I wasn't the victim I wouldn't believe it.

I scowled, enough thinking about this and more about escape!

I did a check on my weapons… again. I had done this the moment I regained consciousness. In total, my saber, my laser gun and my cape had been taken. I was left with my throwing knife, and that wasn't surprising. As a general rule that my father had taught me many years ago all Harlock's had a secret weapon hidden somewhere, be it throwing knife or a small gun. The point was to have something that the enemy didn't know about that you could use in a time of need.

This was one of those times, but I couldn't reach the knife.

"Of all the times to be chained up…" I grumbled under my breath.

Seeing no other thing to do, I promptly tuned back into the talk of my crew.

"We have to get outta here!" Logan said loudly.

"Jeez oh smart one! What else have you thought of?" Yataran snapped back, obviously at the end of his patience.

"Yataran, did you see where they brought the Captain?" Kei asked. I smirked, at least one of them is thinking. My smirk faded. If only I could see out of my cell….

Well I suppose this is as good a time as ever to make my presence known.

"Kei. Tell me what the cell block looks like." I said loudly, certain they had heard me.

There was a moment of silence and then a couple of thuds and a faint sound of movement as I imagine the crew got up.

"Captain! Your alive!" Logan called.

"Well duh oh smart one!" Yataran said exasperated.

"Kei. What does the cell block look like?" I repeated, trying to get my point across that I was in no mood for this childishness.

She, thankfully, got my message and went straight to the point. "Well all the cells are made with semi-solid electrified material. We can see the rest of the crew around but they're stuck in the cells just like us. All the compartments are on either side of a broad hallway. We are apparently in Cell block A-1. I can just see the bulk head to Cell block A-2 a ways down. Where are you Captain?"

"Kei what is to your left?" I asked, starting to place where they're compartments were in my head. If I was correct Kei, Logan and Yataran, by what she just said and how close their voices sounded, were in the cell right next to mine.

"A wall Captain." Kei called. Bingo.

"Just to be certain, one of you knock on the wall." As soon said as soon done, and a solid knock echoed from my right.

"I'm behind the wall, in what appears to be a very bleak, separate prison cell." I looked around… Bleak, I found, described this little dark hole quiet well. That's when I thought of something. Some _one_ rather.

"Kei, can you count the crew members you see?" I asked. I had to be certain she wasn't here or else we truly were in a tight spot. A minute passed.

"All 45 Captain."

"What about the stow away?"

A few seconds passed. I imagine Kei was looking for Phantom.

"I don't see her Captain… Maybe those things didn't care to look."

"Who?" Logan asked, no doubt speaking for most of the crew.

"Then we have a chance to get out of this…" I said letting silence take over. I heard slight muttering and a shocked "what now?" from Logan, telling me Kei had explained who I was talking about.

I sighed yet again, we could just survive this.

"We could just survive this… if she's smart enough…."

"Phew do you guys stink!" I mocked. Although to say the truth I was completely and utterly fed up with these zombies-walking-human-remains things. I'm not even halfway through the Vazor ship and this is my fifth or sixth fight.

I was surrounded by 5 gruesomely disfigured and rotting corps, all growling and slurping at me. They might be dead but they're nothing to laugh at. Trial and error had told me that they could hear the faintest sound and that they were amazingly strong. Another thing was that they could only be killed if you damaged their head in some fatal way.

"Well come on ladies! Waiting to do your hair are you?"

Two zombies from the left lunged at me, number 1 heading for my feet and 2 for my upper body. I jumped to the right, stabbing the blade attached to my gun into zombie 1's head, making him out for the count. Zombie 2 crashed into 1's corps and sent them both flying further down into the dark corridor.

Quickly I switched my gun for my saber and faced the rest just in time to see zombie 3 swipe a clawed hand at my throat. I bent back seeing his claws meet air where my head was a moment ago.

"You little—" I growled righting myself and dodging another swipe for my throat. I dodged another one and parried a hit that I was too late to dodge, my saber not just stopping his hand but cutting through the flesh and completely slicing his right hand off at the wrist.

I jumped back, trying to gain some distance and catch my breath. That was a mistake. I had forgotten that number 2 was still alive and kicking. No sooner had I jumped back that claws slashed deep into my back. I cried in shock and bolted round swinging my saber just so that I cut his head clean off. My back burned and I could tell I wasn't going to last long if I didn't get rid of them soon. My blood was soaking into the poncho and my old wounds were steadily reopening. I took a shaky breath and faced the remaining three.

Zombie 3 lunged at me again, jumping when he got close. I gagged feeling my back burn more when I moved, but I aimed true and sent a laser shot straight through its ugly head. Black ooze splattered over me and I almost puked at the stench. Three down, 2 to go.

I straightened up, pointing my saber at the last two.

"Come at me you dirty Zom-Idiots!" I growled. I couldn't let pain get to me, I was almost there. I clenched my teeth getting a bit dizzy from loss of blood.

Zombie 4 let out a slurping roar and runs at me, claws out-stretched. I dodged but too late, it nicked me in the left arm. Turning while grabbing my gun in my left hand and shot three rounds into and around its head, spraying me yet again in ooze. It wasn't a clean shot but it would have to do.

I hear a roar again and turn back in time to dive my saber into zombie 5's chest, holding him back from me. I was failing, I didn't have the strength I had five minutes ago. I whipped my gun up and shot him at almost point blank range. This time I got drowned in ooze and other nasty stuff as its head imploded.

I lifted a foot and pushed the limp corpse off my saber, whipping the ooze off on the dead zombie's clothes. I sheathed both my weapons before bending down and putting my hands on my knees, panting for breath and letting my wild heart calm down.

During this time I did a quick check of my injuries. My back hurt like hell, and I could feel it bleeding slowly but steadily. I had a couple of nicks here and there, the deepest of which were my reopened stomach wound and the cut the captain had given me, also reopened. I took a deep shuddering breath, straitening back up again and causing my wounds to send a new wave of pain.

"No time to think about it now…" I whispered to myself, stepping over the corpse of the slain zombies. I was heading toward what I hoped was a cell block.

The dim light in the hallways didn't help much as I searched for a map or something to tell me I was going the right way, so I kept walking as silently as possible. Once or twice I came across some zombies, but the black ooze I was covered in seemed to mask my smell or something, thankfully. I walked toward a particularly large corridor, half covered by a huge broken bulkhead. I smiled. I had found the cell blocks. Painted in old halfway chipped yellow paint on the doors were the words "C-lOCK Z-". I imagine the rest was on the other door that lay half charred on the floor. I shuddered, wondering what had happened to make such a big door collapse.

I peeked through the opening, it was pitch black and nothing could be seen outside the dim halo of light coming from outside. All this said I could still hear the eerie scratching and slurping noises that had become so familiar. I walked away from the door and headed further down the corridor, passing cell blocks in reverse alphabetical order. Some were welded shut with bloody splatters seeping from under the bulkheads, others were much like the first.

It wasn't until I came to Cell Block D-2 that things changed. This cell block was open and well lit. Unlike all the others which I imagine were individual, this one connected with D-1 and the rest, like interlocking chains. I peered cautiously into the spacey corridor with semi-solid looking maybe electrified walled compartments lining both sides. There were no zombies in sight.

"Huh… strange…" I whispered to myself, taking comfort from it in the heavy silence. Something wasn't right.

I took a couple steps into the cell block. Immediately the doors snapped shut and I jumped, causing me to jump and whip around. My wounds pained me more than ever and I knew I was almost spent, whatever was coming I was not prepared for.

It started as a huge bang, scaring the crap out of me. It was followed by another, and another, and soon a huge dent had formed in the wall that would normally be separating this cell from cell E-1. I raised an eyebrow.

That's when the first hand punched through the fake wall. My eyes widened in shock as another hand joined that one in ripping the wall apart, and soon decayed heads were popping through the now sizably larger hole.

I shook my head, now was _defiantly_ not the time to just stand there gawking. I looked around me frantically for a way to escape the flood of zombies that was on its way. Nothing caught my eye until I realized that there should be a door to cell block D-1, since they interlocked. I ran as best I could over to the space where both connected, searching for a door or anything really.

The first couple zombies were charging me when I found a huge sliding door. It was jammed wide open, making me wonder why I didn't see it earlier, it might have been because I was light headed and in pain but who knows. I didn't pause to think any longer than that, and I rushed through the doors and into the next cell block just as the zombies spotted me and charged.

I didn't stop after that, I ran, found the doors wide open and continued running to the next cell. It went on like this for a few minutes, and I was completely out of breath, in pain and slowing down by the time I came to cell block A-1.

The fact that this had to be where the crew was passed my mind, but I sincerely didn't care as I sprinted with all I had left. Sure enough crew member's shocked faces blurred past. That's when I saw my only hope, at the end of the corridor to the right was a store room, a room that hadn't been present in the other cells. The zombies were at my hells as I bolted toward salvation. I think some of the men were yelling encouragement, but I couldn't be sure. All that existed in my world at that moment was the door and the distance between me and the door. There was a chance it was locked, but I knew I didn't have the energy to continue if it was.

25 meters…

15 meters… A zombie's claws swept the spot where my foot was moments before.

10 meters… The smell was over powering.

5 meters between me and safety, with what I had left I lunged at the door.

For a heart stopping moment it didn't open.

And then I was tumbling onto the dusty floor of the room with the heavy door closing behind me and zombies stampeding by.

I just lay there, catching my breath and thinking about how close that was to being the end for me. Too close. Way too close. The rush subsided, and the pain came back, I screwed my eyes shut and concentrated on breathing, slowly but surely gaining my breath back.

Minutes, maybe half an hour later I opened them again. I sat up stiffly, my wounds completely and utterly burning and despite my rest I was exhausted. I looked around for the first time, noticing a familiar black and red cape on the floor. Looking closer I realized a gravity saber and laser gun were also there, under the cape.

Someone cleared their throat. Someone directly behind me. You could say I jumped sky high.

"If you're done with your beauty sleep, I would appreciate some help."

I got up slowly and turned around to face the Captain. How I never noticed him before is beyond me, but there he was hung up by more than a dozen different chains to the walls, ceiling and floor. Despite it all I cracked a smile and chuckled.

"Hello there, fancy meeting you here."

"You're battered up."

"I noticed."

With that I got my gun, and with a shaky yet good hand I shot the chains binding him. He fell to the floor with a thud but quickly got to his feet again. The room started to spin and I knew I wasn't gonna stay up for much longer. Harlock had just refastened his cape when I spoke up.

"Hey Cap? I think I'm going to bed now…"

He looked up just as my legs buckled and the ground rushed up to meet me. The last thing I saw was him next to me yelling something I was too far to hear.


	8. Chapter 7

To say I wasn't expecting a certain brown haired teenage girl to fly into my cell and slam the door shut could be an understatement… But all the same she couldn't have had a better timing. I looked up at her, or down rather. She had landed on her stomach near the door a few feet away from me and my gear in the opposite corner.

I was concerned when I saw a rather large red blotch and a huge tear in the back of Phantom's tan colored poncho. That poncho really reminded me of Tochiro's, but now wasn't the time for nostalgia. I could only identify the red substance as blood, and my confusion only increased when I looked her over some more for other apparent injuries. Her hair, shoulders, upper back and arms were all covered in a deep red almost black sludge, and it stank like carrion. I noticed that the sludge was a mix of blood and gore…. Hell knows what had happened for her to get covered like this.

Minutes passed, and I watched as the bloody blotch on her poncho got steadily bigger. I cannot say how much time went by, but when I was finally going to say something to make sure she was still conscious (for her face was turned away from me and I could not see it) she stirred.

First Phantom sat up, somehow managing to miss the fact I was there. She caught sight of my gear, and a confused look crossed her face. I frowned… On the contrary of what someone might think, being suspended by chains is not comfortable in the _least._ I cleared my throat rather pointedly to get her attention, because she obviously wasn't going to notice me on her own.

She jumped in surprise and finally looked my way, her eyes wide before realizing who it was.

"If you're done with your beauty sleep, I would appreciate some help." I grumbled, sighing slightly. She got up and smiled, chuckling. She looked exhausted.

"Hello there, fancy meeting you here."

"You're battered up." I stated, getting a good look at the sheer amount of gore on her face and poncho.

"I noticed."

With that she got her gun with a shaky hand and shot me down quicker than that time Logan did the same exact thing over a year ago. Come to think of it, this situation was so similar to what happened then it was too much to be a coincidence. That being said, I didn't fully anticipate to what degree the chains were holding me up and fell to the floor with a solid thud. Winded, only slightly, I jumped back to my feet and walked to my gear, Phantom standing back a bit to give me some space.

I had just finished clamping my cape back on and holstering my weapons when I heard Phantom speaking softly.

"Hey Cap? I think I'm going to bed now…"

I turned around instantly, just in time to see her collapse. I dove to catch her, managing to do so just before her head hit the floor. I growled, getting up with her now in my arms, which were quickly getting soaked with blood. If I didn't get her to the ship soon she would die, certainly. I turned to the door, shifting her weight so that I could carry her more comfortably and walked out, careful to check if the things that had chased her here were still around. Slightly suspicious to see that they had disappeared, I walked lightly toward the cells where my crew was being kept.

"Captain!" Kei exclaimed, looking relieved once she spotted me, her face darkened when she saw who I was carrying. "So she's the one who came…"

"Has I expected… But not without a cost."

I answered, messing with the lock while trying not to let Phantom slip from my grasp. I had to hurry, I didn't know how long Phantom would last.

"Who is she?" Logan asked, he and most of the crew knew that the intruder had been accepted into the crew, but didn't know anything else. Phantom had been recovering and so had not been introduced yet. Only Kei, Dr. Zero, Miime and I knew anything about her.

"Yah, I was wondering that myself." Yataran said, looking confused. Most of the crew members nodded in agreement.

"This is Phantom, and she's the one that boarded the Arcadia a few days ago." I said, silently cursing the lock.

"Slice through all the wires and it should power down." Yataran said, he and the rest seemingly accepting that answer for now.

I shot him a slightly thankful glance and got my knife, another gamble not to drop Phantom. Slicing through the wires caused the whole prison laser set to shut down.

"Thank Arcadia… Let's get the hell outta here!" Head Engineer Machi said, hopping out of his cell along with a couple other men.

"I'll drink sake to that!" Dr. Zero joined in, smiling.

"Doctor, that's going to have to wait." I said shifting Phantom yet again. Dr. Zero snapped his attention to the girl in my arms and cursed, at her being unconscious or at the sheer amount of blood on her I didn't want to know. He jogged over and checked her vitals. His face was grim.

"We have to get her to the ship ASAP. She's alive, but her vitals are weak." He said, wiping a hand down his face. I nodded understanding the grim situation I was now faced with. I looked toward Logan.

"You carry her, and _be careful_." I said pointedly, giving him a look that I hoped would convey the message drop-her-and-your-dead. He gulped, nodded and walked up, taking extreme care as I passed Phantom to him. I would've carried her myself, but I had to lead my crew back to the ship and have my hands free in case those _things_ came back.

"So what do we do now? I think everyone was out cold when they brought us here… so no one knows the way out." Kei said, after checking if everyone was present.

"Vazors are basically the battering rams of the galaxy… or were. They were built industrially so they are each carbon copies of the others." I said looking around for the bulkhead that led to the main corridor, which in turn led to the starboard (right) main corridor attached to the bridge that connected the Vazor to my own ship.

"Ok then… so how does that help us exactly?" Yataran asked getting impatient and peering worriedly down the dark end of cells where whatever had chased Phantom had disappeared to. Yet another reason I wanted to get the heck out of here.

"Well, they were originally designed by… a friend. I know the semi-exact way out."

I said spotting the bulkhead and marching toward it semi-sure of what I had announced. I had a reputation to uphold and would never admit it, but I had half forgotten small details like this from all those years ago, where my friend and I were never separated for more than a day. I cursed myself for my forgetfulness today that's for sure. The crew fell into step behind me and I turned to see where Logan was with Phantom. I was glad to see he was near the middle with Dr. Zero right beside him.

I ordered the men at the back to keep an eye out for the _Things_ and likewise for the men on either side of our small convoy. Kei, Yataran, Miime and Myself were at the head. Hopefully we wouldn't run into trouble.

*CRASH*

I should've known…..

"KEI! Get to the Arcadia and wait 2 minutes for me, if I'm not there within that limit leave and shoot down this ship!"

"But Capt-"

"NOW."

She nodded and ordered the men not fighting to run down the hall toward the bridge between ships. I shot down the _Things_ that were fighting the five or so remaining. I had to hold them off long enough so that they didn't go after the crew.

Once they were ready they all hurried down the hall, some cursing about leaving their Captain behind. I parried a few blows from the monsters and beheaded them.

The creatures had blocked off my way out towards the crew moments after they left, leaving me to fend for myself. I growled, knowing I would have to find another, not necessarily quicker, way out. I kicked a monster too close for comfort before heading down a dimly lit corridor, turning left as I got to a bigger hallway and running down that. I could hear them a few feet behind me. Guessing I had about a minute and a half left, I ran faster, turning left again toward another smaller corridor, hopefully leading to the starboard (right) hallway.

I was wrong. It stopped about halfway and turned right. Cursing under my breath I skidded around the corner, sprinting down the length of the corridor once again. After a few seconds it turned left again and thankfully opened up to the starboard (right) hallway directly in front of the bridge. If I was not mistaken I had but a half minute at most left, so without further ado I bolted down the bridge slashing at a couple creature who had wandered in the bridge.

Two men were waiting at the end, and their faces lit up as I ran and jumped the last few feet between me and solid flooring.

"Close the door and retract the bridge." I ordered, just as five charged plasma rounds fired and hit the Vazor ship. It had been a close one.

"Captain." They said, closing the doors and retracting the bridge as fast as they could.

I nodded and continued on my way toward the bridge, walking down the corridors without even thinking and taking the elevator to the bridge. I was met with a flurry of shouts, orders and basic chaos.

"Yataran fire-" Kei had been ordering the crew around like a true second in command would, Yataran was manning the main canons and Logan was nowhere to be found. I decided to take things from here, they hadn't even noticed I was there yet.

"Yataran, fire five more rounds into the Vazor. Super charged plasma. Speed up and get us 1500 space kilometers away from the ship before sending an explosive and final round."

Kei and Yataran, along with all the others at their stations turned around in shock. Their faces lightened up seeing me standing there and whole.

"Captain! You made it!" Kei said, obviously having thought she had ordered my death when the first shots rang out.

"It would've taken more to kill me." I walked up to the helm. "Come on now, battle stations and what about those orders?" I said smirking.

"Right, sorry Captain." Yataran said smiling sheepishly, snapping out of his small trance along with all the rest and hurrying over to his post. "You heard the Cap'n! Battle stations, Battle speed 3, 1500 space kilometres!"

Everybody went back to work and I couldn't help but be a little proud. Once I was sure everything was fine I headed toward the infirmary, it was time I dealt with another problem.

Dr. Zero was waiting in front of the infirmary's doors.

"And?"

"It's serious… better take a look for yourself Captain."

I nodded, letting him lead the way into the infirmary. Phantom had been installed in one of the beds at the far back. Logan was sitting next to her looking worried. He stood bolt upright when we came in. "C..Captain! ..." He stammered, saluting. I sent him a glare and he gulped. I would deal with him later.

"Logan take up your post in the helm."

He nodded and ducked behind us, relieved it seemed to get out of there. The Doctor had gone over and was checking some diagrams near the bed.

"So Doctor, report?"

"Well from what I can tell, blood loss, exhaustion that hasn't really been taken care of since last time, she got three deep gashes on her back from shoulder to hip, multiple small scrapes and bruises, the wounds that you gave her a couple days ago are reopened and…."

"And what Dr. Zero?"

The doctor sighed and took a swig of sake… How he ever managed to be a top-notch doctor while simultaneously being drunk was beyond me and had been for 20 years.

"Well... Remember when Logan dropped her on the guard of her sword?"

My glare hardened and Dr. Zero sighed.

"Yah well, she got a fractured rib outta that... I'm surprised thought, it normally takes much more than that to fracture a rib... maybe she has weaker bones... Whatever the case, her wounds are cleaned, and I'm going to be stitching them soon. The rib will have to heal on its own... and it's going to be painful."

"I suppose the gashes will scar then?" Whatever I had said caused the Doctor's gaze to darken, and he took another swig of sake.

"Obviously, but that's another thing. Captain, I don't know where this girl has been, but her life was not all butterflies and candy. Her back is criss-crossed with many older scars, and she has a very nasty puncture wound near her stomach on her right side..." He paused for sake. "Also... her wrists show signs of being rope-burned deeply. As if-"

"As if she has been held against her will, bind by rope..." I finished for him. This wasn't exactly a surprise, I had known from the start that her life hadn't been easy, her skill with a blade proved that... But such extensive scars and the meaning behind them troubled me. What had she gotten herself into? Why did it seem she had been captured and for what purpose? And behind all these questions were others that had been nagging me ever since she collapsed in the cell. Why did she save us? Why didn't she just leave with the Arcadia and left us for dead? Although she was now a crew member, most of the others didn't even know she was still alive, for I had yet to introduce her formally.

"Now Captain, if you'll excuse me I will be patching her up. I'll call for you if you want when I'm done. She isn't in so bad a shape she needs to stay here after all."

I nodded, putting aside my questions for later.

"I would like that. Till later." I left after that, heading to my quarters and pouring myself a nice glass of Red Bourbon. I smiled faintly watching the stars go by—for we had already left the incinerated Vazor ship far behind at this point.

Our first plan of action now was to head to the Gamora system, and see if we could track anything down about the creatures on the ship... I had a feeling this was just the start of something big.

"And not to long after the Coalition's down fall either..." I said to myself, downing my glass and placing it on the table.


	9. Chapter 8

"Phantom…."

….

"..Phantommmm…."

"….Gooo awwwayyy I'm sleepingggg…"

*SPLASH*

"AHHHH!"

I bolted upright, my whole upper torso now soaked with bone chilling cold water. I blinked said water out of my eyes and glared up angrily at whoever had dared pour the liquid on me in the first place. My anger blew out like a candle in gale force winds as soon as my vision cleared, and I almost, _almost_ wished I hadn't even opened my eyes. This has to be a dream…..

She was beauty incarnate, the picture of health and much, much younger looking then the last time I saw her, which was on her death bed. Her long, curly strawberry blonde hair came down to about her hips and bounced in the breeze. She was wearing a knee-long sky-blue dress that made her look absolutely gorgeous. She had a wide, bright smile plastered on her face and her dark green eyes practically glowed. She had a light dusting of freckles along the top of her cheeks.

"Well then, who knew you would be so hard to wake up!" She laughed, it such a heavenly wonderful sound. Something wet ran down my cheek and with a bit of surprise I realized I was crying.

"M..Mom!?" I stammered, not believing this was real… Without further thought I jumped up and hugged her, afraid that my dream would end and she would be gone again forever. She was a bit surprised by such a sudden movement, but soon wrapped her arms around me in turn and hugged me back just as tight. I didn't want to let go.

After a bit, she shifted and placed her hands on my shoulders, lightly pushing me away so that she could see me better.

"…Jeez… You've grown… I see you got my hair… But you look a lot like your father too… " She said pouting playfully. I sighed, rolling my eyes and wiping my tears embarrassed. I've never really known my mother, so I didn't know what she would be like.

"Well of course I've grown… I mean… it's been 10 years mom…" I said half smiling.

"…Yes well… I'm so, so, so sorry Phantom…. So sorry for not being there… and now at only 15 you've left home and everything….." She replied, it was her turn to look sad and tearful and I didn't want that.

"Mom, it's ok…. Arthur, he took good care of me… and now I'm a crew member of a space ship like I said I would be!"

She smiled sadly. "So I suppose you read my letter?"

"Yah…"

"Ah well, that couldn't be helped… Now, about your father." I went to interrupt but she sent me a look. "Yes I know that was the one thing you really wanted to ask. But, I won't be the one to tell you who he was and is. That's your job."

I lifted and eyebrow and couldn't help but be confused.

"Why? It would be leagues easier to just tell me now and get it over with!"

"You both aren't ready for it." I went to interrupt again but like the time before she sent me a look. "And that is final. I don't have a lot of time here with you."

This sent me into another round of confusion. "But this is a dream… I'm probably knocked out cold and dreaming this up in a feverish stupor!"

My mother rolled her eyes. "Your father also never believed in the supernatural and spiritual that much."

"…Supernatural?... So what… I'm dead?!"

Mom looked skyward, seemingly annoyed. "No you're not dead…. Technically."

"What's that supposed to mean?!" I was slightly panicked… She just seemed annoyed, playfully so though.

"Shhh, I got to tell you something and time is not on our side."

She was about to continue when the air off to the side of us began to shimmer, as if he was being heated up. That drew my attention to where we were, and I couldn't help myself but to notice that we were in a huge field, there were mountains in the far away distance, and a lake shimmered at its base with forest around it. All this I actually only knew because I loved reading books about earth, after all on Heavy Melder a tree is an amazing sight. I was getting sidetracked, back to the shimmering air.

"Cassia Fairborn, Time's almost up!" A voice said, seeming to emanate from the patch of air. Then, a body slowly started to appear. Yes I know crude but hey.

The man—Yes because that was what it seemed to be—Was the mirror image of Harlock face wise. Yes Harlock, like the man who was my Captain now. This shocked me. He was taller thought, had even broader shoulders and instead of wavy, wild dark brown hair he had wavy, wild silver hair. He wasn't missing any of his mahogany-brown eyes, but did have the scar across his nose and cheek. He wore a military-looking navy blue uniform above a white shirt and silver tie with white pants and knee-high brown leather boots. On top of it all he wore a loose cape like thingy, also navy blue, which was clasped in the front with a silver rope and awesomely detailed silver buttons. To complete the look a navy blue military style beret with a merit of some sort on it sat on top his head.

My mom smiled. "Phantom meet The Great Harlock. Captain of the DeathShadow Battleship, and the father of the Harlock you currently know."

I must've looked like a fish because I am sure I was gaping. This was one weird dream…. Then again it might really _not_ be a dream… Wait…

"Oh so this is my—" _Great_ Harlock started only to be cut off from whatever he was going to say when my mom hurriedly interrupted.

"Yes well I haven't told you what I came here to tell you."

"Wait now a moment… How do you even know I'm in the company of a Harlock at the moment?" I asked, only getting more lost by the second… I mean, what was he going to say? Was it so… Dangerous… Or whatever, that she felt the need to stop him? For it was clear that she had. "And why did you—"

She rolled her eyes and huffed bringing her hand up in a come-on-this-is-amateur-stuff way, interrupting me with her answer. " _Pew_ -lease, I'm dead, dead people know a lot"

"So what you spend your time spying on me?" I asked lifting my eyebrows in disbelief. "And that makes no sense at all." I felt like this conversation was spinning in circles.

"There's nothing else to do…."

Before I could answer she clapped her hands. Funny because _Great_ Harlock seemed as if he wanted to say something.

"Now we gotta go." As if to support what she said they both started fading. "I love you Phantom, and the answers you're looking for are closer then you'd think!"

"Hey! What the hell is that supposed to mean?! Don't go!" I started, mom just waved and _Great_ Harlock did a two finger salute, both of them grinning. I felt like they were mocking me. Their bodies faded from view completely.

Just like that both of them were gone. This made no sense whatsoever. I put my hands on my head despairingly and turned around, looking dejectedly at the field I was standing in. I felt like screaming in frustration.

Breathe Phantom.

I let my arms go limp, and my hands found the grips of my weapons by force of habit.

"What now?" I wondered. It was good to see my mom, even though she was kinda obviously hiding something, but oh well. I sighed.

I looked around again and did a slight double take. Right behind me, where my mom and _Great_ Harlock had disappeared, stood a red door. It was framed in black metal and had a golden skull-adorned door-knob. Two skulls were sculpted into the top of the frame. I lifted an eyebrow and walked around behind the door. It didn't lead to anything, it was just… There. I walked back to the front and poked it. It didn't move. I knocked on the door. It sounded hollow, as if it truly led to a room or something.

I almost laughed. If I had to guess, I'd say this door led to the Arcadia… I mean, 3 skulls in one place, it _had_ to be a Harlock thing. This was such an unlikely, comical situation.

I sighed once again.

"You know what? Whatever." I said, grabbing the door knob and opening the door, jumping through it and fully expecting to land on the other side of the field.

 **On Mars: The old Gaia Coalition location, now the New Order Head Quarters**

When the pirate Captain Harlock had taken down the Gaia Coalition over a year ago, the human race decided to elect a council. The members were from the 9 most important colonies across the galaxy and each would be responsible for affairs in their neck of the woods so to say. In turn, the council had elected a leader to make sure everything goes smoothly. There was Aro, Victor, Tarr, Timothy, Elise and Lily the only two women on the council, Claud, Paul, Steve and Marcus. Marcus wasn't a representative of any colony, but he was there to ensure that the trade routes and the cargo ships that flew them weren't abused. He himself being an ace FTL (faster than light) cargo pilot out there.

While the other members were busy worrying about supply levels, border arguments and disputes between colony capitals and the smaller towns around them, one thing bothered Marcus the most, and this subject hung like a dark cloud on his consciousness. He waited long enough for a pause in the conversation in this hectic meeting, and since none has come, he decided to just dive in.

"What about Captain Harlock and the rest of the Space pirates!?" Marcus called out loud enough to be heard over the rest of the conversation. Said conversation came to an abrupt halt and all eyes turned to him. Seeing this as a sign he was heard, he continued. "Surely we can't let them roam free!"

"The pirates are the last of a dying breed! I say let them die out and the ones we do catch we execute!" Lily's high-pitched, finger-nails-on-chalk-board voice called, her small glassy, rat-like eyes glaring disgustingly at Marcus. Not a lot of the members on the council like him, after all he was just a 'good for nothing cargo pilot', as Lily had once called him.

"Even so." Claud said. "We do not have the resources at the moment to go up against the weakest of them, let alone the King of them all Harlock."

"Before we go chasing pirates we should concentrate on getting the colonies as strong as and stronger than they were before the Coalition." Agreed Victor. He was the oldest member, and although not the leader of the council his word was highly respected among the others. Marcus still did not agree.

"We should send a ship! If only to scout!" Marcus persisted. "Harlock and the rest of the pirates could be planning something!"

After what happened a year back, a lot of people agreed with what Harlock had done, others hated him even more and the whole topic was rather taboo. Marcus for one didn't know what to think, but one thing for him was clear. Harlock was still a pirate and still had a bounty on his head, and so still needed to answer for the crimes he did commit.

"Enough of this! We do not have the resources!" Victor said with a stronger tone of voice, slamming his hand on the table for added effect. Marcus flinched slightly.

"Wait Victor…" Aro said, speaking for the first time since Marcus had spoken up. He _was_ the leader of the council, and his word was technically law. Aro had been head of military affairs in the old Coalition, and although he was hated on quite a bit, no one could deny his expertise. He looked dead at Marcus and the younger man had to steel himself not to flinch under the calculating gaze. _'Just what the hell did I get myself into…'_ Marcus thought, sweat rolling down his brow.

"Marcus, if you're so dead set on chasing down the pirate known by Harlock, then you shall be tasked with the job. Chose whatever crew and ship you like, and take as much time as you want. _But_ —" Aro's gaze hardened and his tone became harsh. "Don't come back unless you capture or finish Harlock off for good."

Marcus' jaw dropped. "B..But—"

"Your duties will be covered and you will report back to us every month or so. Be gone!" Aro said sharply, pointing to the door. Marcus gulped, and then shot a glare at Lily, for she was smirking.

"Sir." Was all Marcus said before getting up, saluting and walking out the door.

Halfway down to the hangar in which his ship was currently undergoing repairs and upgrades, Marcus stopped and sighed, looking out the glass wall of the sky bridge he was walking in. "I'm so screwed…." He said, looking at the pale pink cloudless sky of mars. He took his hat off, ran a hand through his hair with his other hand and then replaced his hat. That was a habit of him whenever he was worried and/or stressed.

Marcus turned away from the disappointment of a sky and continued walking toward the hangar on the other spire of the council's HQ building.

"I'mmmmm Bacccckkkkk!"

Marcus called out once he entered the hangar. It was a medium sized hangar with all the needs a capable crew would need to stock and repair a medium sized vessel. His ship was only 337 meters long by 111 meters tall at its highest point. Not big at all if you compared it to the Imperial class ships, which were the standard size of 900 meters long by 300 meters high. But all these ships were dwarfed by the Arcadia, Captain Harlock's ship, which to Marcus' dismay found that his brain needed to remind him, was 1072 meters or 1.72 kilometers long and 335 meters high. That was basically 3 _times_ the size of his ship. ' _Let's hope size truly doesn't matter….'_ He thought, waiting for his crew to join him.

His ship, _The Estrela Do Mar_ or The Sea of Stars, was an FTL (faster than light) cargo ship. The _Estrela_ was mainly a washed out grey color with red highlights and black detailing. The bow was long and stream lined and near the back there were two wings, like one of those ancient bi-planes. The bridge was nicely placed in the middle in front of the wings. As for weapons and since the ship was built for cargo, it had to be refitted with two rapid fire plasma guns. It wasn't much to defend against anything, so Marcus and his crew decided to build a flash canon, one of the strangest types of canons, into the bottom of the ship. Of course it was hidden and kinda illegal but Marcus didn't think leaving with only the two small guns was worth the lives of his crew.

Since the ship's build was FTL (faster than light), the three engines were super powerful. On every occasion Marcus got he would remind anybody and everybody that his ship was the 'fastest hunk of junk in the universe'. To say he was proud of it was an understatement.

"Look who it is! The Captain is back from the office! How's the paperwork?" Called a burly man on a scaffold near one of the starboard (left) bottom wing. That was Barrango, the strongman of the team.

"Hellish as always Barrango, but I rather I do it then say, you or the Twins." Marcus replied chuckling.

"God forbid the Twins ever take care of paperwork Captain!" Barrango's hearty laugh rang though the hangar.

The open starboard (left) boarding door was open and the ramp was down. From the space inside came the rest of the crew to greet their Captain.

Miko, a 15 year old super genius and computer know-it-all was first to come tumbling out. "Captain! Your back, we were wondering when you'd be free!" The kid, although young, was in charge of making the _Estrela_ a battleship.

"Yah, and did you bring food? I'm starved…." A blue haired certain annoying 23 year old woman called.

Marcus rolled his eyes and tossed his second in command Yami, once she was close enough of course, a bag containing food he had picked up on the way to the hangar. He rolled his eyes. "Glad to see you missed me…" He said sarcastically. Although the woman was technically 2 years older than Marcus, who was now 21, she acted purely like a 5 year old. Thought you wouldn't want to underestimate her for her antics, she was the best sharp shooter around and could plan one nasty ambush.

Yami didn't even pay attention and grabbed the back, sitting down right then and there and digging into a burger form the bag.

Next to come greet their Captain was the for-mentioned Twins, Keago and Kigo. Both were sarcastic and both were arrogant, but they were in Marcus' opinion the best engine room technicians to have. One of their habits was to speak at the same time and say the same thing, or to finish each other's sentences, both of which annoyed Marcus over the moon and back.

"Hola Captain." They said together, their chosen method to annoy him today.

Marcus sighed. "Hello Keago, Kigo." He looked around, he had bought supper for them all, but he was currently missing two members of his crew. He looked around the people standing around him, figuring out who was missing in an instant.

"Please don't tell me Coma went to the bar with Sari again…" Marcus said rubbing his temples.

"Actually." Miko chuckled. "He went to fill an order up on medicine he needs. Sari just went with him."

"Thank heavens…" Marcus said. The ship's doctor and chief Coma could take his liquor… Sari couldn't, and Coma loved seeing the poor thing drunk on Tequila.

"Are ya'cursing me name over there ya'fraggers?" Marcus turned to see the grumpy, elderly man known as waddle through the doors and toward the group. Bounding behind him in all her 3 ft at the shoulder tall glory, was Marcus' black and white Great Dane, Sari.

"No Doctor, you don't need to worry." Marcus had the time to say before Sari barked and jumped on him, knocking him to the floor, and then covering his face in licks and drool before he actually managed to push the dog off. "Yes, yes I missed you too mutt." He said getting up and wiping his face clear of slobber. Everyone one present was chuckling, except grumpy .

"I heard you went to refill on medicine, will the order arrive before the end of the week?" Marcus asked Coma, now totally recovered from the attack of the dog.

"Yes, why? Last time I noticed we weren't in a rush… Then again no one keeps me up to date." Coma said bitterly, Marcus had long ago learned not to take the old man's tone personally but sometimes it still made him flinch.

"We got a new mission." Marcus answered.

Everyone visibly perked up. "What kind of mission?" Barrango asked, who during the whole greeting had come down from the scaffold and walked to the group. In total, and since the _Estrela_ was such a small ship, Marcus had a crew of 7. ' _We are soooo outnumbered…._ ' He thought frowning.

"Uh oh, you're frowning, that can't be good." Yami remarked, still chewing on her burger.

' _They're sooo gonna hate this…_ ' Marcus thought.  
"Like I said, we got a new mission…"

"Spit it out already!" Keago and Kigo said in harmony.

"We have to catch or kill…."

"Who? What? Come on we're dying here!" Barrango thundered. The others nodded in agreement.

Marcus took a deep breath.

"Harlock…"

The reaction was immediate and everyone had the exact same thought.

" ** _WHAT!?_** "


	10. Chapter 9

I slowly opened my eyes. Holy Space did everything hurt! My back hurt, my arms hurt, my head hurt, my legs hurt. Hell, even my toes hurt. Knowing this, I didn't really want to move, but for the life of me I couldn't remember where I was or what happened. My eyesight was blurry and everything was a distorted mess of mostly black and darker colors.

 _I'm on something soft and fluffy…. A bed most likely, but not the one from my room…_

Those thoughts only confused me more. I moved my right arm, feeling what was under my head. It was a pillow. I groaned, even that simple movement had sent waves of pain up my arm. I shut my eyes again, concentrating on what had happened and reviewing my options.

 _So, I remember going on the Matrix… Getting into fights with zombies things… Finding the cell block with the captain and the crew in it…_

I groaned again, thinking gave me an even bigger headache. But what had happened after? I adjusted my position only to gasp in shock as burning pain raged along my back. Well now, isn't that just lovely. I opened my eyes again, this time I could make out some shapes in all the mess of color.

 _I found the captain and…. Oh._

I had passed out. Well that explained a lot. I wasn't a stranger to blood loss, or pain. Or waking up distorted and disoriented after a particularly vicious fight. I smiled lightly.

If I was here, wherever here was, (I had a hunch that I was back on the Arcadia) then that meant I had successfully half rescued the crew + Captain from the Matrix. Yay. That was a mini success for me. And in my mini bout of happiness I sat up. I'm and idiot…

For starters, my back howled in protest. Secondly, my vision– which had only now started to make sense– swirled back into chaos. Urgh.

I stayed there, my back settling down again after a few minutes and my vision very gradually coming back to normal. I looked around once it had, at a loss for words.

I was in a huge room, and I mean **hugeeeee.** This was by far the biggest room in the ship, although now that I think of it mine was almost as big. The bed I had been passed out on was placed against the wall to the right. The wall opposite was bare, with only a dresser, a closet and what looked like a wine cabinet lined up against it.

Now that I looked around, the walls were made of wood, and so was the floor. In the middle of the room was a table with a few chairs around it, a chandelier hung above it casting the room in a warm glow. Along the wall opposite to the door was a tall desk with 4 stools scattered along its length. The wall itself was basically windows interlaced with wood, and now that I looked at it I realized that there was wood on the outside of the room too. Metal was laid in between both layers of wood (inside and outside) to resist space.

My eyes widened in realization.

"Holy space…" I croaked, almost flinching at the hoarseness of my voice. "The Captain' Quarters…" I looked around with a sharper eye, looking at the table again.

If it was possible, my eyes widened even more. There was a dark figure hunched over in one of the chairs, leaning on the table. …Oh frick…

"Captain… I stole your bed didn't I?" I said to myself softly, chuckling. It turned to a cough and sent pain down my ribs so I decided to stop. I wanted to laugh at the absurdity of this situation.

"Don't worry. I just came back anyway."

I jumped, not expecting an answer. Harlock straightened up in his chair. He looked tired. I noticed his cape was hung up on the back of his chair.

I smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry I woke you. I'll be going." I went to take off the blanket so that I could swing my legs out. That's when I realized that I was wrapped in gauze from my chest down to my hips, the wraps going over my left shoulder. I yelped, pulling the blanket back tightly around me.

 _Wait now a second…. I was dressed when I passed––– Ah hellll nah._

I felt my cheeks heat up and knew I was red as a Melder Tomato. I didn't know if it was from embarrassment or anger. I whipped my head around, looking for my clothes. I looked back to the captain when I didn't see them anywhere.

"Please tell me your not the one who…" I trailed off. Most of the crew were men… I hadn't really seen a woman.

The Captain chuckled, obviously catching my train of thought.

"Kei undressed you, but the Doctor had to stitch you up. But other than that, I, nor any other man on this ship saw you."

Well that was ok I suppose, he was a doctor, it was his job. That didn't keep me from tightening my grip on the blanket though.

A few moments passed in awkward silence… Well awkward for me.

"Sooooo…. Where are my clothes?" I asked, looking around again. I could only move my head thought, my back hurt at the smallest movement. I spotted my hat and gun belts on a chair, my weapons weren't in them thought. My poncho, my shirt, my pants, my boots and my *cough* over-shoulder-boulder-holder were nowhere to be seen.

Harlock chuckled again and got up, walking over to the desk where I only now noticed a package was laid. Harlock picked it up and handed it to me. I opened it to find blue, fluffy pajamas. Thank space it was a set including a tank top and sweat pants.

"We had to stop to replenish our food supply, Kei took the opportunity to buy these for you. She hopes it fits." The captain said, walking over to the wine cabinet and taking out a copper colored glass bottle. The liquid inside was dark red.

I examined the clothes, reminding myself to thank Kei for it later. Whoever Kei was.

The captain seemed to read my mind, or maybe my face gave it all away.

"That's right, you still haven't meet the crew properly. Also, we're going to have to buy you some new clothes, your shirt was badly ripped along with your poncho. Your pants are not damaged along with your boots." Harlock said, pouring the red liquid into a glass he had retrieved from another cabinet I hadn't seen. He took a sip and pointed to a door near the bed. "That's the bathroom."

"Ok… but why would I need to know that?" I asked, kinda feeling like this whole thing was dream. I wanted to laugh at how absurd this situation was, and I had a feeling Harlock felt the same way.

"Because you will be staying here until you are back to normal." He said simply, going over to yet another cabinet I hadn't seen. Jeez, was he the master of hidden cabinets or something?

"…..What do you mean 'staying here'? I can't stay in your room! You need your bed! And, well, this is awkward!"

"You're staying right there until your rib heals. That's an order."

"But–"

"You are now a part of this crew, and I am your Captain. You are staying there until Dr. Zero says otherwise."

"What about you? You can't sleep on a table for a month! And what do you mean by 'rib'?"

I already knew, it explained why my ribs hurt when I was coughing earlier. Somehow I had bruised or fractured a rib, which didn't surprise me all that much. You see, I have broken my ribs a lot over the years, making them dangerously fragile. It was one of my great weak spots.

"Has you must of realized your little escapade to save us cost you. You have deep cuts across your back and various other cuts of various degrees of severity. The cut I gave you on your stomach has reopened, thankfully now it's closed and on the way back to the ship an… Unfortunate accident gave you a fractured rib." Harlock said this seriously.

I looked down realizing something else. If the Doc had dressed me up, then that means he obviously found the old scars on my back and the rope burns on my wrist. I wasn't touchy about that subject… It was just a bit too deep into my past for the moment. I wonder if he had told Harlock…

"As for where I'll sleep," He continued, snapping me out of my thoughts. "I'm perfectly fine." And he didn't expand on where it was he was going to sleep.

I sighed in defeat. For the time being, I was sharing a room with the Pirate Captain Of The Century. I crossed my arms, sending a pulse of pain down my back and arms.

I looked at the open package of clothes on my lap. The captain had sat back down with his glass of mystery red liquid, assuming that our talk was done.

I took the package and shifted the blanket on my shoulders, getting ready for my incredibly stupid idea.

I shifted my legs, draping them over the edge of the bed and touching the floor with my toes. I had clenched my teeth through the whole thing, my legs being incredibly sore. Glancing at the captain I concluded that he wasn't paying attention. I took a deep breath, grabbing the Pj's in a death grip and counted to 3.

1…

2…

3…

I hosted myself to my feet and stayed up for a few seconds…. …. And started to tip forward. I yelped as the ground came up to meet me. I crashed into it with an all mighty thud, and I heard a crunch as my fractured rib moved slightly. I couldn't help it and let out a mini scream at the pain in my back and rib. The Captain was in my field of vision immediately.

"What were you thinking!?" He said sternly, slowly slipping his arms around me and picked me up bridal style with the blanket and all. I had to hold back tears from the pain in my back and I bit my lip, not trusting myself to speak.

He placed me back in the bed with amazingly gentle hands and readjusted the blanket and pillow, walking over to the dresser and getting another blanket for me. He draped this one over one with the same gentleness that you would never expect a pirate to have. My wounds had settled into a softer pulsing pain and I cleared my throat awkwardly.

The Captain glared at me. "What were you thinking? I'm pretty sure your wounds reopened." He said sternly. I smiled sheepishly.

"I wanted to change into the Pj's…."

"You can do that in bed. I'll leave if you want me too." He said in the same berating tone. I dropped my smile for a frown.

"Just for a minute please… It's kinda creepy being here alone…." I answered, getting out the sweat pants from the package I still had a death grip on. Harlock just nodded and turned away, walking to the door and leaving.

Now alone, I slipped on the sweat pants slowly and painstakingly. I was out of breath by the time I was done.

"Damn, how long have I been out anyway?" I asked myself, looking out the windows and realizing huge icy chunks of rocks were flying by. Now that I thought about it, the air was cooler then I remember. That raised another question: Where in all of space were we? It's too cold to be anywhere _near_ the Industrial Solar system of Heavy Melder.

Someone— I assume the Captain– knocked on the door, making me jump (and wince thereafter) from my thoughts.

"Come in." I called, letting him know I was decent. That whole situation was just awkward…. So awkward…

"Your decent I assume?" Harlock said opening the door and walking in and closing said door behind him.

"Not like you gave me time to answer." I remarked. "How long have I been out?"

"About 3 or 4 days." He walked over to where he left his glass of red liquid on the table and took a sip. "Also," he said before I could ask my next question, "We are in the Gamora-Vega system. We are headed to its capital planet Igor-122. "

I closed my mouth seeing that my question had been answered. It explained why it was so cold too, Gamora-Vega was a known sub-zero, freezing, ice-cube like system. Its outer planets were so cold that machinery would freeze upon entering the atmosphere, AKA no one dared live there.

"Why are we here?" I asked after a few minutes of silence.

"We intercepted an S.O.S from a Council ship who was being boarded by those Undead things in the Matrix. That was a day ago, we're using it to track down who is controlling these ships and why." Harlock answered downing the bottom of his glass and putting it back on the table.

He turned to me. "Are you feeling any better?"

"Welllllll I don't think I can walk put it that way." I said, wondering what he was getting at. During all this time I had been slowly braiding what I could reach of my hair, without hurting myself, and I was amazed at how messy it was. Damn.

"It's time for a check up with the Doctor. But since your awake he says I might as well bring you there." Harlock said, still glaring or staring or I really don't have any clue at this point as to why he is so cold or why he was looking at me like that. I mean looking at someone like you want to kill them isn't that nice you know! I sighed. This whole chat was cold, and I felt like the Captain wasn't very happy at all, even thought his voice didn't exactly give a hint to anything.

"Like I said, I can't walk well yet. Give me a few tries and I'll be back on my feet, I swear." I said, trying to lighten up the move, or to make him not mad at me 'cause that's what it was looking like. To add emphasis to my words I swung my legs over the edge of the bed again, ignoring every complaining hurts on my body.

"No, you are not walking until the Doctor says you're clear." Harlock said, suddenly squarely in front of me. I hadn't even seen him move! This of course made me yelp in shock and fall backwards on the bed comically.

"Owwwww Wha'dja do that for?" I whined, bringing myself back up slowly. I could've sworn Harlock was smirking. Suddenly, thought I should've expected it, Harlock had me in his arms bridal style (thank space, with the blanket) and down the hall before I could blink.

"…Sadist…" I muttered under my breath. I could bet money I heard the Captain chuckle.

For about the next 10 or so minutes, as Harlock carried me to what I assume was the Med-wing, I met with a couple groups of the crew members. Most had been walking to or from their posts after a shift and had stopped to salute the Captain, asking after if I was feeling ok to which I replied "define ok?" then, "if you mean in working order, sure, I'm just jolly!". Yeah, most gave up at that point, some laughed and said I would be able to survive life here just fine. I don't wanna know what the hell he meant. But we're getting side tracked, unto the present!

I zoned back into reality after my wonderful little run around my brain, obviously completely lost when it came to what the Doctor, now named Dr. Zero, and the Captain had been talking about for the last 8 or so minutes.

"She wasn't supposed to have woken up yet! I put enough drugs in her to make an _elephant_ sleep for a week!" The Doctor raged. I didn't exactly know what an elephant was, but anyway.

"Well 'She' is awake now, so elephant or no, I'm here." I effectively butted in. Both men turned to me. It was actually comical, Harlock being super tall and everyone else I've met so far being super short. Including the Doc.

"Yes well…" Zero stumbles over his word for a moment, took a swig of some clear liquid (wait… is that… sake?) and attempted to speak again. "We might as well continue with the check up then. I need to ask you a few questions."

He paused, took a swig and pushed a seat near the bed I was currently sat cross legged on. The blanket was draped around my shoulders.

"First off, because you are now my responsibility as a part of this crew, I must ask why you have so many old scars! You couldn't have had that bad of a life."

 _Damn. First question and it's already a touchy question… Well sort of…._

I looked away from his gaze, biting my bottom lip. The story of my scars wasn't actually that bad. I fell from _a lot_ of trees when I was young, that and a whole lot of other accidents and stuff. Those explained the millions of little scars everywhere. But… There were two that… were a bit touchy.

I looked back up to see that both the Captain and Dr. Zero were looking at me worriedly… and even _concerned_? Damn, didn't know I had gained that much respect.

After a minute of awkward for me silence, and it became clear that I wouldn't speak, (I couldn't decide wither I should or not. Stupid, I know.) The Captain spoke up.

"Maybe we should start a little less deep." He suggested. So maybe the Sadist could feel compassion! "What, or more likely, who are you and where do you come from."

I perked up. "Well that's easy. I come from the slightly less dusty regions of Heavy Melder, The Barrel lands."

The Doc whistled. "Wow, that's a lonnnnnng way from the Capital and where we were parked Miss!"

I smiled some-what sadly. More nostalgic then actually sad. "Yes well, I was traveling for about 3 and a half years before I met you."

Both men looked at each other then back at me, obviously surprised and somewhat impressed. "Alone?" The Captain asked.

I nodded. "I'm not gonna say it was easy… but yah. My goal was to board a ship that needed an extra crew hand—I'm not that bad at machinery—and work till I got enough money to buy a trip to the Council Capital. If not, I was just gonna stay on the ship and explore space with it. That's my dream… sorta."

I didn't want to tell them all this was basically fueled with a desire to find my father. At least not yet. Cliché, I know.

"So, You survived 3 and a half years on Heavy Melder _, ALONE,_ to go to the Capital and get a job?" I nodded at the Doc. "Damn, you're more than qualified for this ship. I doubt that quite a few men on board could do that, and you're what, 18? Damn. Just Damn."

I chuckled. "I'm actually turning 16 in May." That little fact only seemed to make the Doctor's eyes go wider and Harlock lift an eyebrow.

"You're young."

"Yeppers."

"In fact you're the youngest member on this ship. Don't expect favoritism thought." The Captain said in a more commanding tone near the end.

"I wouldn't expect that for the world Captain." I said, grinning madly.

"Some of the other members might baby you thought. Logan might even try to boss you around." Zero added, swigging the sake like the world was ending. How was he not drunk?

"So then, to confirm for the log books, your name is Phantom…?" The Captain continued abruptly, changing the subject as well.

"Phantom F. Basically, I'm kinda in the process of finding my name." I said sheepishly. I mean seriously! What kind of a name was Phantom F! Oh well.

"Well then, Tommy, let's get to business." The Doctor chuckled. My smile went wide. It was the first time someone had ever nicknamed me and I liked it.

"About those scars." And there goes the smile. I had hoped the two men in the room had forgotten about it. I sighed, might as well tell them

"Look, the scars around my hands are from a gang catching me one time. And the one on my hip is from the nasty fight that followed." I said, kinda fast, but it was coherent.

The Doctor just looked at me in a I-hope-your-not-serious kinda way. I bit my lip and played with my thumbs, looking down. I squirmed when I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was Doc.

"Phantom, you could've just said you didn't want to tell us." He said dead serious. Way to go to make your patient feel better Doc, I cursed mentally. I looked up, he standing on the chair in front of me to reach my shoulder. I would've laughed, but you know, saying something deep like that kinda dulls the mood. "But I'm happy you did, those cowards deserved whatever you gave them after." That made me smile slightly.

I looked to Harlock who hadn't said a word for quite a while. I almost jumped when I saw intensely dark and furious look in his eye, only for it to be gone the next when he noticed I was looking, gone and replaced with a much softer one. If Harlock could have a soft gaze.

"How old were you Phantom?" He asked. I squirmed again, but didn't look away.

"It was just after I had turned 13, and I wasn't has good a shot as I am now." I answered, not being able to stop myself from adding that little fact.

"I see. Well those men were cowards to have attacked you."

"I do agree with you, now can we please move on to something that actually includes medicine and the practice thereof?" I half-joked, flashing a coy smile and making the Doctor roll his eyes.

And if Harlock had known I was been watching, he wouldn't have rolled his eyes at my comment either.

"Damn. So let me get this straight." Coma said, messaging his temples. It had been 4 days since they had started the suicide mission. 2 since they were actually airborn and 1 since the crew have started complaining.

 _And I thought this mission was going to be hellish without all this…._ Marcus sighed.

"We are travelling to Gamora-Vega, because a zombie ship. _ZOMBIE_ ship has been sighted there, and because another ship like that was found destroyed at an area where _HARLOCK_ was said to have been pinged on radar. Can we just take a moment to admire the beauty of how _UTTERLY RIDICULOUS AND LIFE-THREATENING THAT SOUNDS_?" Coma ranted, yelling a few words here and there and yelling the last bit for emphasis. It was Marcus' turn to rub his temples.

"I agree with him!" Yami said raising her hand from her seat.

They were all on the bridge, quietly (on the outside) drifting in a Faster-Than-Light warp. They were about halfway through the 6 hour-long warp from HQ to Gamora.

All the crew, except Keago, Kigo and Barrango were stationed on the long, narrower than average bridge. Yami, Miko and Coma were seated on the left of Marcus and Barrango normally sat on the right when he was stationed there. In front of them were a whole bunch of controls for navigation, radar, stealth and speed. Barrango controlled the guns and firepower. Marcus sat at the far back, having his own station of directional and warp controls to look after. The opposite wall to him was the windshield, giving the view of the whole of the _Estrela's_ bow. In the middle of the room lay a 3D map of their current position in relation to HQ.

"Come on now. If we don't have hope we'll never get this done!" Marcus tried in vain to save the situation.

Coma snorted. Marcus looked to Miko for help, but the youth just shrugged his shoulders with a I-can't-help-you-sorry look. Marcus looked back to Coma, now officially on his own. Normally Miko would try to save the situation as much as Marcus, but sometimes, the Teen just couldn't help.

 _I brought myself into this situation…_ Marcus despaired. _Now I need to get myself out._

"Look I know this is one of my biggest mistakes but there is _NOTHING_ I can do about it for the moment! I know we can get through this, and I know we are going to beat Harlock into the ground! But please bear with me! I am your Captain and I say we are going to end this mission before it's even started! We'll catch Harlock and be back within the week!" Marcus finished his mini speech, Sari, who was sitting near Marcus barked as if in agreement and Miko clapped.

Coma glared skeptically then sighed and looked away, finally giving in. "We trust you Captain. We trust you." Was all the old man said before going to sit done at his station.

 _He's scared…_ Marcus suddenly realized with a jolt, and looking around he saw that Yami was squirming every few moments or so and that Miko had a stiff stance. _We're all scared… especially me…_

Marcus sighed. He took a moment, thinking about everything that could go wrong, and then everything that could go _horribly_ wrong. He imagined everyone else present was doing the same. Then he steeled himself, turning to face the space that zoomed by with a spectral light outside his ship. He would bring his team through this. And they would all be alive when he did.

"To Gamora!" Marcus announced.

And everyone currently there hollered out their approval.

"Get her in the thick of it Yami. Stealth field Alpha to 100% full." Marcus ordered.

They had arrived from the grueling 6 hour long warp along edge of the solar system in said system's one and only warp zone. After that they had immediately started the trip to an asteroid field about halfway into the system. Once that 2 hour trip was over they were ready to set up their ambush. Their whole plan rested on the fact that Harlock would have to warp in at the same place they had, and so would have to pass by or in the asteroid field they were currently stationed. Of course, any normal person would be like: but he could warp in somewhere further away and just cruise in anywhere else. Yes, in truth Harlock could, but the space around Gamora-Vega wasn't stable, and plenty of huge asteroids caught whoever escaped the dimensional pockets and electromagnetic rock fields that were once another planet. The safest route was to warp in from the only secure place.

So here they were, fine tuning their position.

"Captain, ship in place and anchored." Miko reported.

"Perfect. Now we wait. Everyone on full alert, reach out with the long distance radars, use the infrared too." Marcus commanded, leaning back in his chair.

"Long distance Radars and infrared hooked up, Captain." Yami reported. As soon as she said it a 3D map of their current spot and the space around it showed up, with a blotch of red far to the right signaling a civilian ship heading to Igor-122.

"Full alert. Harlock could be here any minute."

And so they waited.


	11. Chapter 10

_"_ _Long ago somewhere in the future_

 _In a place beyond space and time_

 _There's a book for all to see_

 _What has been, what could be_

 _Prophesies of the ages_

 _Every little joy, every sorrow,_

 _Every little tear that is cried_

 _Every word and deed,_

 _Every thought and feeling_

 _All written there on the pages"_

 _"_ _Some embrace only shadow, some embrace the light_

 _But the lives that we lead are the stories we leave_

 _There in the book of life"_

 _"_ _Now this place is only a memory_

 _Counted as a dream from afar_

 _And our hearts have lost the key_

 _We don't know how to read_

 _Signs that are there to bind us_

 _Maybe we don't know all the answers_

 _Maybe we can't change who we are_

 _Only heaven's love_

 _We can give our children_

 _Love that we all left behind us"_

 _"_ _Some embrace only shadow, some embrace the light_

 _But the lives that we lead are the stories we leave_

 _There in the book of life"_

I sighed, wiping the small tear from my left eye as I got up from my crouched position on the floor. Today was the 28th of August, the day my mother died.

When she passed, I was 5 and couldn't fully comprehend why she was gone or why she wasn't coming back. By the time I was 8 I understood, and now every year that passes by reminds me of the times we did share together, even if they were few. The fact that I know she is in a good place now, and had the added bonus of talking to her makes the anniversary of her death a lot easier to bear…

I stretched, flinching slightly as my wounds complained. It had only been a couple of days since I woke up, the slashes on my arms were merely scars now and my aching rib wasn't aching quite as much.

I looked toward the stars, huge blocks of ice and electromagnetic stone flying by, the small ones braking harmlessly off the Arcadia's shields and the bigger ones avoided all together or shot to bits. Mom would've loved this. I chuckled, knowing she still would've scolded me nonetheless for starting this whole adventure.

"10 years Mom. You owe me big time."

"You sing beautifully."

My sword was at poor Logan's neck before he could blink. I smiled apologetically and put the weapon away.

"Reflexes…" I explained, rubbing my neck.

"And very fast ones at that." He complimented. I scowled at him, he was about my height so I could look him in the eye. How old is he anyway… Ummmm.

"How long have you been standing there?" I demanded. He put his hands up in an I-surrender fashion.

"Whoa calm down I only caught the last bit of your song, I didn't want to interrupt… 10 years for what?" He asked, putting his hands back in his pockets.

My scowl deepened, just when I thought I could come here to have my little ceremony in peace…

"My Mother died 10 years ago today. That 'song' was the lullaby she taught me, I sign it has part of a little _private_ ceremony." I explained coldly, putting an emphasis on the private. Now it was his turn to smile apologetically.

"I'm sorry for intruding… Ice Queen." He teased playfully, before jogging away down the hall. Smart move too, I was ready to hit him. I chuckled, knowing he only had the best intentions by teasing me like that and it had worked too, I was now in a lighter mood.

I shook my head and turned back to the window, placing a small blue Heavy Melder Lily on the ledge. They had been my mom's favorite flowers, and when I saw a patch growing a couple weeks back I couldn't help but pick some. Jeez… My time on Heavy Melder seemed so far away now, and yet it had only been a week and half since I first boarded the Arcadia.

Happier then when I first came down to this spot in the ship, I started the trip back to the Captain's quarters. I wasn't supposed to be out of bed yet, and I was careful to avoid any of the crew on my way to the back of the ship since I had yet to be introduced. Harlock had said that the crew understood why I couldn't meet them yet, and said that they were amazingly grateful to me for saving them. He also added that they really wanted to meet me, I couldn't wait. I saw only a few since I got back.

Right now I only knew a grand total of 4: Miime, Dr. Zero, Logan and Captain Harlock. Logan I only met by accident too. Since he was apprenticed to the captain he took care of the ship while Harlock was taking care of me, so when he came to report back to the Captain he found me instead. We had a small chat until Harlock came back, and then Logan had to go back to his post. Harlock was mildly surprised that I bared no animosity toward the teen, but I just shrugged saying that what happened happened and I won't bare a grudge when I'm the one with weak ribs.

I arrived at the big oak doors a little while later, not too badly worse for wear. At my guess the ship was maybe a kilometer long, so it wasn't a long walk at all. What made it tricky were the 30 or so different levels, so for now I just stuck with the ones I knew. I was happier now that I knew my little trip had gone unnoticed… Until I found a very unhappy looking Harlock waiting for me inside.

"Fancy meeting you here…" I said sheepishly.

"I'm on the verge of locking that door…." He grumbled, before getting himself another glass of liquor (which I learned was Red Bourbon) and sitting down.

"It's only been 3 times, I'm sure you'll live." I chuckled, walking stiffly over to the bed and sitting on it.

"I came to tell you that we will be arriving in Igor-222's space shortly." He ignored my previous comment. I frowned, slightly confused.

"How did we get to Gamora so fast? I don't remember warping in…"

"2 Reasons. 1, you wouldn't have remembered if we did, because you were out cold. 2, because we didn't warp in, we took a Black Market trade route instead."

"Oh."

"Another thing, the signal from the Matrix ship here is gone. So instead we'll be paying the council representative here a visit."

I chuckled and the Captain rolled his eye.

"You know, since you have so much energy… I think it's time for you to meet the crew."

I perked up and my eyes widened.

"Really?!"

"Do I look like I'm lying?"

I jumped up and hopped, clapping excitedly. I could have sworn I saw him facepalm. Harlock go up from his chair after downing his drink and walked to the door. He stopped just before walking out and turned back to me.

"Kei gave you a shirt, it's on the table with your pants and boots." He pointed to my bare feet. "It's not good for you to walk around bare foot. There are socks too. I'll call for you." And with that he left me there, scratching my head as too why he was so… caring all of a sudden. It didn't fit him. Like, at all. I shivered at the thought of Harlock being a parent… Poor kid.

I sighed and got up off the bed, heading toward the clothes on the table. Kei had indeed left me a black tank top, a pair of nice comfy socks and my pants and boots, freshly washed.

I grabbed the clothes and headed to the bathroom for the first time. For moment, I stood and gaped at the bathroom from the doorway.  
On the contrary to what I thought it would be (messy and black) the bathroom was a dazzling mix of wooden walls with white facilities, including a beautiful ancient-looking mirror, and there wasn't a spot of dust anywhere.

I snapped myself out of my daze and walked in locking the door behind me. I laid my clothes on a shelf that seemed to be made just for that purpose and looked at my reflection in the mirror… I almost flinched. Ok, it wasn't that bad… My hair was in a half-decent braid down to my waist and the bags under my duller-than-thou grey eyes weren't too noticeable, but still! That's when I glanced down and found a comb with a note stuck in its bristles. I picked it up and read the very feminine writing.

 _I found a comb for you, it should be good for your long hair. The Captain didn't notice me put it in here. There's also shampoo and conditioner in the cabinet.  
_

I flipped it around and smiled, putting the note back down. I wouldn't have time for a shower, so I would rain-check the shampoo. I have to thank Kei a thousand times over when I finally meet her…

I undid my braid and shook my hair out, the reddish-brown locks falling to about mid-thigh. First thing I took care of was separating one of the two blue streaks in my hair from all the brown and putting it to the side. The other streak was part of my bangs, so I took care of that next. The rest was standard brushing, tugging knots every now and then. By the time I was done, the comb was full of hair that I had to tease it out of the bristles. I then re-braided my hair in a better braid, leaving my bangs out.

Finally, I got dressed. I didn't undo the bandages, simply choosing to slip the tank top on over them. I undid the string on the sweat pants I was currently wearing and slid them off, scowling at the bruises on my legs from my encounter with the Space Zombies. I then put on my socks and pants. Before I slipped on my belts (which had been placed with my pants) I tucked the tank in my pants, it was more comfortable that way. After that was done, I put on my boots and checked the mirror again.

I smiled, happy I was finally getting somewhere. I headed out the bathroom and straight across the room toward a row of hangers. There I unhooked my gun's sheath with the gun in it and put them both back in place on my belt at my right hip. My sword I had brought with me when I had gone to do the ceremony, but I brought it without its scabbard. Now I unhooked the scabbard and put it on my other belt at my left hip. I slid my sword back into its place right after. The weapons felt good at my sides after so long without them. I was kinda sad my poncho hadn't survived… but my hat was still in my room. I decided against going to get it.

I huffed, sitting down on the bed and folded up the sweat pants before sighing.

"Now all I gotta do is wait till Harlock calls m-"

" **Phantom is wanted on the main bridge, Phantom to the bridge.** "

I jumped. Talk about coincidence. With a glare at the com, I got up and headed to the big hallway I had first rushed down, the one that ended in an elevator that made up part of the center of the ship. It took me a little while, my rib was aching again but before I knew it I was on my way up to the main bridge, this time not because I was being chased.

The elevator slowed and beeped, telling me I was there. The doors slid open and I walked out with a deep breath.

" ** _WELCOME TO THE CREW PHANTOM!_** " Roared the crew happily. I almost jumped back into the elevator with shock. All 40 of them exploded into laughter. Logan, Miime, Dr. Zero and the Captain were standing near the back of the mass of crew members with a blonde girl in a skin tight pink leather suit with knee high black heels. A slightly chubby man in a striped shirt, with a black bandana baring the Jolly Roger and glasses was also with them.

"Ummm… Nice to meet you too!" I said nervously with a small wave. They laughed and I was soon surrounded by the 40 of 'em. The next 10 minutes were a flurry of 'Hi I'm so and so's with claps on the back and laughter at my answers to whatever questions they asked. I really only caught one name, and that was Machii's, the Head Engineer of the Arcadia. Along with all the names I got a lot of Thank you's and congratulations. I think the congratulations were for surviving a fight with Harlock… But I'm not sure. After a while the crew had to go back to whatever they had been doing, and I was left alone on the bridge with the 6 who had stayed in the back the whole time.

I smiled. "Yo Captain." Harlock ignored me and turned away.

"Logan you take care of introductions." He said before walking down the right stairway and disappearing in another elevator.

Logan quirked an eyebrow before shrugging.

"Well, Phantom you already know me, Miime, Dr. Zero and The Captain. The girl is Kei—"

"Hi." She said flatly.

"Thank you for the clothes and comb… and shampoo… and pjs…" I said gratefully with a smile. Kei shrugged.

"No problem."

Logan cleared his throat pointedly and continued.

"And the dude there is Yataran. Kei is Head Officer and Yataran takes up Second-in-command."

"Nice ta meet ya, Miss." Yataran said with a smile.

"You too Officer." I said, not sure how the hierarchy worked in the ship.

"No need for that." Dr. Zero scuffed. "They have higher positions but no one really pays attention to them…"

Kei huffed. "They pay attention to us well enough when we bark orders at them."

"Of course they do! Who isn't afraid of you?!" Kei sent Logan a nasty look.

I was watching them bicker with a bemused expression, slightly surprised at the childish behavior. Miime had moved to stand beside me, also watching the officers fight.

"Harlock runs his ship in his own way. For the past hundred years it's been unusual, but now everything's back to normal… The crew does whatever they like during the lull between fights, but as soon as the alarm goes up they have to be ready and at their stations." She said in her soft way.

I nodded until the first part of her words settled in. "Wait, the past _hundred_ years?!" I said unbelieving.

Miime nodded. "You'll know the story soon. Harlock has been around for a long time." And with that she walked down the same stairway as Harlock had and was gone. I pondered her words a bit and shrugged, I would find out what she meant in due time, for right now I might as well go with it.

Logan, Yataran, Doc and Kei were still arguing. That is, until a loud siren went off and scared me halfway to the Frontier Worlds. All four were immediately to attention.

"Yataran, go see what the radar picked up. Logan, go get the Captain—"

Kei fired off commands and no one questioned them. The Doc was already gone, presumably heading back to the medical wing. Yataran and Kei were both standing at their stations further along the bridge's raised platform and Logan was running to the elevator.

"What can I do?" I called to Kei, who was busy doing something or another.

"Watch and learn." She said with a content tone.

The main elevator beeped and I turned around to see who was coming. Lo and behold Captain Harlock stepped out with his cape bellowing from the sudden motion.

"Yataran. Report." He ordered marching to the helm and taking hold of it.

Logan, who seemed out of breath, followed him out of the elevator and took his place behind and to the side of Harlock. I walked up and stood beside him and he smiled.

"Your gonna love this." He said softly, before giving his full attention to whatever was happening. I noticed that the radar and other scanning equipment stations were now taken up by some of the crew.

"There's a ship coming in from the port (left) aft. Only 50 space klics away and coming closer!" Yataran reported.

"The ship is an FTL Cargo class, refitted for battle and stealth! Approaching fast. Captain we won't have time to heat the main batteries up!" Kei said calmly.

"Put an image up on the main screen." Harlock said.

The ceiling lit up in a grid like map, the Arcadia showing in blue and the other ship in red. Asteroids and the nearby planet of Igor-222 showed up in a grey-ish white. I stared in awe at the grandeur of the ceiling-screen.

"They seem to have planed an ambush for us. They knew we were coming." Harlock remarked with a scuff.

"They weren't very well informed then… Everyone knows that the Bloom Asteroid Field negates stealth shields…" Yataran chuckled.

"Captain, long-range batteries locked on to our position!" Kei informed suddenly, pressing a few buttons and cursing. "Captain they're fast! 30 Space klics and counting between us and them."

"Shields to 90%, charge up the rapid fire and close range batteries. How big is the ship?" Harlock commanded, he sounding rather confident and not worried at all.

"About 1/3 our size, Captain." Yataran stated.

"Good. I have a feeling this will help us find whoever was behind the Matrix signals."

"Aye Aye Cap'n!"

And I couldn't help but smile.

"Captain! The Arcadia is coming from the other way! 80 Space klics to starboard (right)!"

"WHAT?!"

Marcus jumped up and saw that it was true, the Arcadia was indeed coming from the opposite direction and heading toward Igor-222. He cursed.

"How is that—"

"No time to wonder Barrango. Let's go fast and strike while they still don't notice us!" Marcus interrupted, he himself wondering just how it happened.

"Miko, make sure the shields are up, Barrango, warm up the long-range canons." Marcus called down to the engine room. "Keago, Kigo, speed up to Striker level 4."

The _Estrela_ sped up and a low hum sung throughout the ship as the long-range cannons warmed.

"65 Space klics between us and targeted vessel Arcadia, Captain Sir!" Yami reported while Barrango aimed the canons.

"Fire guns at 45 Space klics." Marcus ordered, noting that they were approaching the Arcadia from her port (left) side toward the aft. Perfect, it was an odd angle. The majority of the main canons wouldn't be able to fire at them if they got close enough because they would run the risk of hitting their own ship. The smaller guns Marcus wasn't so worried about.

"55 Space klics." Miko called, the atmosphere in the bridge crackled with tension and excitement. This was their first encounter with the target, and Marcus hoped it would be the only one. The canons charged up with 3 double rounds.

"45 Space klics."

"FIRE!"

"Captain they've fired!"

"Kei, Strategic speed 3! Yataran, 100% to aft and lower port shields!"

"YES SIR!"

I gripped the helm and spun it around to make the Arcadias prow turn sharply toward port (left) side and grinning in satisfaction when the FTL ship swung even more to port (left).

"They're hoping to use the Odd Angle trick. They've only just realized we've been able to see them."

I said, making Yataran and Kei smile. The Arcadia shook suddenly when the long-range rounds hit. The shields held strong. No one even bothered to check the damage because it had hardly done anything.

"I suppose we're going to ram them?" Kei asked, it could've been a rhetorical question.

"We're going to make them think that we've been caught unaware. Their momentum and our momentum will do the job for us. Tell me when they're 10 Space klics away."

"Yes Captain."

I could tell that Phantom was paying close attention to the battle. Good. I wasn't sure what kind of post she would have yet, frankly there was no more room on deck and something told me she wouldn't be a good apprentice to Dr. Zero—

"25 Space Klics and counting, Captain." Kei reported. I swung the Arcadia's prow a little further to port (left) side.

"Speed up to Battle level 5 when I say so."

In the background I heard Logan tell Phantom to go sit down in my chair and to hold on tight. I smirked, remembering the first time Logan had been on the bridge when I had rammed a ship.

The air on the bridge gradually became tenser and crackled with excitement as the Space klics drowned down.

"10 Space Klics Captain!" Yataran cried out.

"Now!" The sudden surge of power sent the Arcadia the rest of the way to port (left) and I watched in satisfaction as the prow of the other ship crashed into the side of the Arcadia. The quick thinking of its Captain, whoever he was, saving his ship from hitting mine head on, which would've ended the battle before it begun.

Debris from the smaller ship floated around as it served away, but I wasn't going to let it go so easily.

"Fire 3 weak rounds at two of its engines!" I commanded, turning the Arcadia the rest of the way so that it was now behind the smaller ship. The main turret's hum vibrated throughout the ship before firing.

To my dismay, the smaller ship put on a sudden burst of speed and only one of the shots hit, lightly damaging the starboard (right) engine.

The ship spun around and came racing back toward the Arcadia, firing rapid shots all along the prow and aiming for the bridge tower. It had to pull up before there was a need for me to order the shields up, but I scowled all the same.

"Damage report."

"Top shields 68% and stable. Port (left) bow is 15% damaged from the crash, but fully functioning." Kei called.

"Good. Track them with three medium-plasma heat missiles. Aim for their port (left) and starboard (right) engines, cripple them don't destroy unless absolutely necessary." I ordered, steering the Arcadia to a higher position above the other ship, which was now turning back for another go. It seemed to have trouble turning to port (left) side, but other than that and a heavily damaged prow, the crash hadn't done much.

"Missiles fired Captain!" Yataran reported.

3 red streaks fired out from near the bow on the port side, doing a 180o turn and flying toward the other ship. I smirked has the missiles over shot the ship, making it seem like they missed, until they flew back at it.

Again to my dismay the ship dodged two, but the third struck home, creating an explosion and sending the ship forward from the shockwave.

"They're tougher then they look…" Logan remarked.

I couldn't agree more.


	12. Chapter 11

"I have a suicide plan, but it will get Harlock off our trail long enough to enact a strategic retreat." Marcus exclaimed, gripping his seat as yet another round of shots hit the starboard (right) side.

"More suicide then this already is? Ha. Bring it on." Coma snarled sarcastically. Marcus would've rolled his eyes if he was in the mood. After they had been doped and had crashed into the Arcadia head on everything had gone downhill. Now the _Estrela_ was barely able to keep moving. The prow was badly damaged, the top starboard (right) wing was missing a good chunk of its outer half and 1 engine was out completely with the other 2 working at barely 50%.

"It involves planting an electromagnetic bomb inside the Arcadia."

"I take back what I said, that is more suicidal then this."

"Not the time Coma." Marcus snapped, getting to the end of his patience. The crew was instantly serious, Marcus was a kind and docile man by nature but when his patience ran out or when he got angry you'd better listen.

"If you all agree, we need to disable that monster of a ship for at least 5 minutes. That's long enough to randomly warp somewhere far, far away." There were nods from all around the bridge.

"Good, now what I had in mind was this…"

"Captain! The enemy ship is… Attempting a boarding!?" Kei said, half shocked and half laughing.

"What!?" Yataran said. There was an almighty shudder and a very loud clank of metal grating metal as the smaller ship pulled alongside the Arcadia.

"Why would they do that?" I asked Logan, who just shrugged.

"Giving up maybe? Who knows?"

"Very helpful."

"Any time."

I scuffed. The battle so far was really one sided. The smaller ship was avoiding most of the shots by the Arcadia, but after that missile hit home it was a lot slower. At one point a round it its starboard (right) wing and blew of the tip of it.

"Phantom!" I jumped as the Captain turned toward me.

"It's about to get serious, they are attempting to board and I want you away from the battle."

I was scandalized.

"WHAT?"

"You are in no shape for a fight. I want you to head back to the Medical Wing."

"BUT—"

"Logan, I want you to get her there."

"Yes, Captain." Logan started dragging me toward the elevator because he knew I wouldn't go willingly.

"BAS—"

And then the elevator door closed, so I couldn't finish cursing Harlock. The next few minutes were a flurry of running, mostly Logan dragging me. My rib started to pulse with pain at one point and it hurt to breathe, but of course my pride wouldn't let me tell Logan that. Suddenly there was another huge explosion, this time coming from _inside_ the Arcadia. Logan perked up, and I could tell right away he wanted to go.

"Logan, I understand, I'll head straight to the Medi-wing. You go on, I know they need you." I said in a soft tone. My ruse worked.

"But—"

"Go." I said, pushing him. He glanced at me, then nodded and ran down a side hall a few meters ahead. I smirked.

"Like hell I'm going to the Medi-wing."

And with that I took off at a brisk jog down the hall, toward where the ship came into contact with the Arcadia.

I didn't get very far though, because from one of the side halls jumped a muscle wall of a man and he brought with him the butt of his rifle, neatly knocking me out before I could even try to go for my gun.

"BARRANGO! WHAT DID YOU DO THAT FOR?!"

"I didn't know she was a prisoner! I just heard someone coming!"

"Guys we don't have time for this, let's get a move on!"

Miko, Yami and Barrango had been the ones sent to set the electromagnetic bomb, and they had been on their way back to meet up with Keago and Kigo, who had been sent to make a distraction. The only problem was that they had run in to this girl, who was now propped against a wall and out cold, courtesy of Barrango.

"She looks like she just escaped… look her arms are all scarred up." Yami said, looking the girl up and down with sympathy. "These blasted Pirates! I don't even wanna know why she has those big nasty bandages around her chest! We can't leave her here!"

"We don't have time for this! We got to be back to the ship in 3 minutes!" Miko growled, panicking.

"I know! Let's take her with us. Solves both problems." And with that Barrango scooped the girl up in his arms has gently as he could and started at a run toward the ship, Miko and Yami following close behind.

They met up with a very happy looking Keago and Kigo, who delightfully informed them that the whole of the Arcadia's crew members were on their trail now. The whole situation only lasted 15 minutes, but it seemed like an eternity.

Barrango was happy to be back on board his own ship, and he couldn't say he wasn't happy to been the one to slam the doors in those dirty pirates faces. Once everyone, plus the girl, was accounted for Marcus took off without a moment to lose. The Arcadia gave chase, until it suddenly stopped mid-canon charge. The bomb had gone off, giving the _Estrela_ just enough time to make it to the border of the safe warp zone before warping.

Once they were safely inside the warp tunnel and well away from the nightmare ship that was the Arcadia, Marcus could finally address the next issue: The Girl.

The Captain was currently in the Medi-wing with everyone present except the twins (they couldn't care less about the girl).

"So Doc, what's the news?" He asked, all were eager to know.

"Well, this girl is a skilled fighter. Right now thought, she has a half-way mended fractured rib and an almost healed slash wound on her stomach. X-rays show multiple fractured ribs from the past, so she has weak ribs, but other than that and a huge amount of old scars, she's perfectly fine." Coma glared at Yami, Miko and Barrango. "So fine in fact that I doubt she was even a prisoner to begin with!"

Marcus pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed while the 3 who were responsible for this mess slowly realized what it was that Coma had just implied.

"But she was running!" Yami argued.

"She was probably running _join_ the fight, not running to _escape_ it." Coma sneered.

"So we basically just gave Harlock a perfectly valid reason for hunting us down and destroying us." Miko said despairingly.

"Yes indeed you did. And I heard that he is fiercely protective of his crew, _KIDNAPPING_ one of them should be perfectly fine." Coma continued.

"But he's a pirate, why would he be protective of his henchmen?" Barrango asked.

"Do you want to find out?"

"…No…"

"WELL THERE YA GO!"

"IT WASN'T MY FAULT!"

"EVERYONE SHUT UP!"

Yami, Barrango, Miko and even Coma flinched and turned toward a very frustrated-looking Marcus. He looked very stressed, and everyone understood now wasn't the time for bickering. A few minutes of silence passed and Marcus finally calmed down enough to talk.

"Maybe this is an opportunity to get information about Harlock, his ship and his crew. We should look at the good side, Harlock won't destroy this ship as long as she's here, and we could use her as a bargaining chip." Marcus said calmly.

"And who said I wanted to be used in the first placed?" A very hostile and threatening voice sounded from the medical bed.

Everyone present turned at once to see the girl sat crossed legged on the bed glaring nastily at them.

"You're awake…?" Marcus questioned, slightly confused.

"Yes and have been since that bloody idiot slammed me down on this bed." She growled, glaring at Barrango whose temper sparked at her name for him.

"Why you—"

"And as for whoever the hell the rest of you are, if you expect me to tell you about my Captain then you should lower your expectations." She continued, ignoring Barrango completely and settling her icy slate grey glare onto Marcus. It took him a moment to gather his thoughts but he spoke with confidence.

"You aren't in a place to negotiate." Marcus said on an even, slightly menacing tone. "You are on an enemy ship, in the middle of a warp tunnel. We won't torture you for information, but we won't give you any comforts either—" The girl snorted and Marcus glared at her "—Why don't you cooperate and make things easier. Hell we could even drop you off on the nearest planet with a way to contact Harlock and you can go back right after."

"There are 2 things wrong with that: 1. If you had a way to contact Harlock you would've done so and ambushed him better then you did last time. 2. If you think I'm going to betray my home like that then you have neither honor nor dignity."

"Why you little brat! Who are _you_ to call our Captain undignified!" Yami growled, charging the girl. Before anyone present could blink the girl had the blue-haired lieutenant pinned to the ground with her arm brought up painfully. The girl bared her teeth in disgust.

"I am a crew member of the pirate ship Arcadia and I have every right to call _your_ Captain whatever _I want_ to call him." The girl growled. Yami tried to get up but she held her firm. Everyone who had a gun was pointing it at her.

"I admire your loyalty to your Captain, but right now it's in your best interest if you unhand my second in command." Marcus said slowly. The girl looked up and noticed her position. She scowled at them and backed off Yami.

"Good, now Barrango handcuff her. Its interrogation time."

"What is the damage report?"

"5% damage Captain! The ship is repairing its self as we speak." Yataran informed.

"Good, injuries?"

"2 minor bullet wounds and a small burn. Nothing life-altering or threatening." Kei called.

"Good. What about Logan and Phantom?"

"Logan is one of the men with the minor bullet wound… and… Oh no." Kei eyes went wide.

"What?"

"Ship scans say there are only 46 life-forms on board, not counting Mii and Tori-san. We are normally 47 with Phantom."

"WHAT?"

"They kidnapped Phantom."

The whole bridge went quiet.

Then a small beep signified a ship entering long-range radar space. Yataran checked it silently, no one was speaking for fear of the Captain's wrath. Harlock looked absolutely terrifying. Yataran flinched when he saw what the ship was.

"Captain… It's a Matrix ship…"

"SPACE DAMN IT!"

The whole bridge went quiet again.

"That tickles."

"SHUT UP!"

"I thought you wanted me to speak?"

"Yes but—"

"So then why tell me to shut up? That doesn't make any sense at all sir."

The man scowled at me, turned around and left. From what I could tell his name was Barrango and he wasn't the brightest of the group, that's all. I sighed, rolling my shoulders as much as I could with my hands tied up behind the chair. The captain (I assume), Marcus, had taken my weapons and belts and put them somewhere that I have yet to locate. Thank space my knife was still in its normal hiding spot, but right now I wanted to keep it hidden. I waited a few minutes in silence, and then started to get a feel of what was binding my hands when Barrango didn't come back. The materiel was like gooey rope, probably not too hard to cut if my knife was within reaching distance. Which it wasn't at the moment. I huffed, looking around my cell.

It was a storage closet, pretty big with a small door. I was sat on a chair in the middle of the room, the only light coming from a small window in the door.

"This is exactly what I need right now… wounded and in enemy territory. Totally not fair for them—"

I cut myself off and adopted a depressed look as the door's bolt slid open. Surprisingly, a teenager walked in. He was around 5'4 with black hair just long enough to cover his ears, as he came in he pushed up a pair of blue glasses. He switched on the light and I growled, half closing my eyes from the sudden glare. Once I could see 100% again I opened my eyes to see that the boy had brought a fold-up stool, which he now sat on. I scowled at him and he wiggled nervously.

"My name's Miko, what about you?" He started off calmly. He seemed nervous, but I had to give him credit for not letting it show through to his voice.

"Knowing your name doesn't change anything." I countered calmly, keeping just enough edge to my voice as to not sound like I was giving up. I had dropped the 'depressed and panicked' gimmick, having a feeling it would work.

"Your right, but it is polite. Will you grant me the same courtesy?"

"No."

"Well that's boring… Now I'm going to have to find another way to get your name for your criminal record."

So he was trying to get a rise out of me. I mentally smiled, time to have some fun. I cocked my eyebrows in 'shock'.

"Criminal record?! But I haven't done anything wrong!" I said indignantly. Miko looked completely convinced.

"Yep. Riding with pirates sure damages your civil record. But there's a way to solves this, and I won't have to send all these nasty reports about you to HQ." He said with a reassuring smile. "All you have to do is tell us everything you know about subject S 00999, Captain Harlock."

I almost growled at the way he dismissed the Captain like he was a piece of trash, but I held my performance.

"Really? That sounds so easy…"

"It is."

I smiled sweetly, and Miko's face went all smug like a cat that got all the cream… Too bad this round was mine.

"It's just too bad…" I said in the same innocent, sweet voice I had been using. "That I don't care jack about any of your propositions."

Miko clearly was taken back and I smirked at him, I would've waved but my hands were tied at the moment. Bad pun, ok. Whatever.

Without another word he left, leaving the stool where it stood. My smirk deepened, that was something to work with.

"Damn Miko, I wouldn't have bet anything if I had known you were that good at guessing people's actions." Keago said, handing 30 United Universe dollars or Ws to the younger teen.

"It was obvious she wouldn't go for the deal." Said Miko, taking the money and putting it in his pocket. "Is that what you wanted Captain?"

Marcus was standing by the monitors, which were showing different sections of the ship. Right now he was concentrated on the one with the yet-unnamed girl in it.

"Yes Miko. You did an amazing job."

"Why did you want him to do all that for the stool Captain?" Barrango asked, glanced at the little she-wolf in the screen. He disliked her with a passion. He had gone in her cell unarmed because she looked relatively harmless, but he had soon found out that talking to her could be compared talking to Miko in a foul mood: quick, clean, and with a vicious undertone. Utterly frustrating too.

"If she is a fighter, she will naturally use that stool to get herself out. It's the way she uses it and how she gets out of there that I want to observe." Marcus explained, watching as the girl waited patiently while looking around her.

"So… you want her to get out?" Barrango said slightly confused.

"Yes."

The man shrugged. "Whatever you say Captain." He said turning away and going back to his post. For a little while nothing happened, and Marcus took a break from looking at the screens to take care of other things. The girl still hadn't done anything.

"Umm Captain…." Yami said walking up to the screens.

"Yes Yami?" Marcus said over his shoulder.

"Isn't the bottom left screen for the prisoner?"

"Yes, why do you ask?"

"It's gone black."

"WHAT?"

I waited 5…10…15 minutes till I started to move. I had noticed a glint when Miko had left and closed the lights, it was a camera. Knowing I wouldn't have much time once I started moving, I hopped over to the stool. I winced every time, not only because of the sound the chair made on the floor but because with every hop my rib jolted.

Finally, I was at the stool, and I kicked it over to its left side gently, catching it with my foot and placing it on the ground slowly as to not make much noise. I then kicked at the leg hinges, making them bend the wrong way… and brake after a little bit. I was happy to see that one particular leg that had broken free had a sharp edge. The next part was a little less comfortable. I oriented the chair with hops and nudges so that I faced backwards to the stool. I then shoved myself as far to the right as I could go, and after my third shoved I accomplished my goal and sent myself crashing to the floor, with the chair on its side. I bit my lip, knowing my little escapade had probably been noticed. Hurrying now, I searched the ground around the chair for the broken stool leg, and once it was in my hand I maneuvered it so that the sharp end pressed against the gooey rope.

After that it was all slow up and down movements to slice the rope, and it took a longggggg time I can tell you.

Several minutes after the beginning of my escape I was standing and rubbing my wrists. I glanced at the camera, took a piece of the broken stool and hit it with all I had. Both camera and stool leg shattered, but my goal was accomplished.

"I'm in deep this time… I wonder why they haven't come get me yet…" I said to myself, getting another leg of the raggedy old stool and heading to the door.

It was a pretty simple bolt, and after I stuck a piece of metal from the stool through the space between the door frame and the door the bolt lifted and opened up easily.

This made me suspicious. Ok, this ship was old. But not _that_ old! Perhaps for some weird reason Marcus and his gang of New Order chickens purposely chose this cell because it had an easy-to-escape-through door. Still going with this theory, maybe Miko knew how I would react, and did the whole 'I'm offering you a deal' thing just to leave the stool behind. All this would technically mean I've played into their hands…. Space damnit. But one thing they didn't count on, I think: me breaking the camera.

I looked down both sides of the hallway, wondering which side to run down. I looked toward the ceiling on the assumption that there would be power conductors running to and from the computer room like in the Arcadia: Bingo. They were even transparent so I could see the plasma flowing along the pipes. Without further ado I headed towards the left, following the plasma.

It was only a little while later I remembered I didn't have my weapons, but I was already facing the computer room bulkhead and decided to go pick them up after my call to the Arcadia. The bulkhead split in the middle and slid to the sides as soon as I approached, and I cautiously entered. After a quick check around the rectangle room and being satisfied that no one was there, I headed to one of the control stations and searched up the ships current location. Unlike the Arcadia, this ship's computer room was a long and somewhat narrow rectangle, with multiple little columns of various techs instead of the Arcadias massive column with servers around it.

The holo-screen lit up and showed a map of New Order space, zooming in until this ships location was on screen. Apparently, we were out of Gamora-Vega space completely, now we were near about to enter Solar system space: the original home of the Human race. I cursed. The warp from Gamora to here takes 6 hours for a normal ship, 5 for an FTL ship like this one and maybe 5 and a half for the Arcadia. I would have to contact the Arcadia, tell them where I am, steal a small fighter or something and then make my way to the nearest planet, all without being caught.

I checked which planet was closest, and as it turned out, it was Pluto. The planet of the Dead. Lovely. Closing the program, I entered the Arcadia's frequency into the computer and opened the line, almost immediately getting patched into the ship's main receiver.

"Phantom! Your safe!" Kei exclaimed. She, Logan, Yataran and the Captain were standing in front of the screen.

"Bruised but not broken. Look I think Marcus is tracking this line so don't say anything. I'm sending you coordinates. Scan them for viruses. Be Safe." And with that I shut down the line, the server I was sending it from and the whole of the control panel. I erased the frequency and made sure it wasn't there anymore.

"Ok next. A ship."

I walked to the next control panel and searched for a map, once I got one I looked for the dog-fighter bay. It was on the next floor under, the elevator being right around the corner. I looked up 'prisoners' next, hoping to find my weapons. Surprisingly, they were in a locker in the dog-fighter bay. I frowned, getting a weird feeling.

Right now thought, I had no choice but to throw caution to the wind and make it to Pluto. If the reason why we were in the Solar system was what I was thinking, then it would be very bad. After all, I don't really want to meet the council members like this.

I sighed, and turned back to the door. I checked the hallways to find no one, and gunned it toward the elevator.

"Here goes nothing…" I muttered and the doors slammed shut behind me.


	13. Chapter 12

The bridge was still quiet after receiving Phantom's call. Everyone knew what decision I had to make, although my choice is actually quite obvious. We either went after the Matrix ship, easily tracking down whom or what has been causing so much trouble, or go rescue Phantom.

"We never leave a crew mate behind." I announced, and all the officers present smiled knowingly. "Let's go retrieve a certain copper-headed teenager. Yataran, do those coordinates lead to the Solar System?"

"Yep, Pluto to be exact."

"That's where she's heading to get away from her captors, they must be entering Solar space as we speak." I frowned. Solar space would be crawling with Order patrols, and my ship wasn't exactly the most subtle of spacecraft.

"How are we going to make it in?" Logan asked. Although technically still wounded and under Dr. Zero's care, the teen came back to the bridge immediately after hearing what Phantom had gotten herself into.

I smirked at Kei and she sighed in a 'here we go again' manner. "We," She said. "Are going to head straight there like we own the place."

"Technically, we have all rights to do exactly that." I said before turning around to face the wheel. My lieutenants were already at their stations. "Prepare a Space warp to coordinates Alpha-0810. Launch as soon as we reach the safe zone."

"Safe zone in 5 Space klics and counting Captain!" Yataran reported.

"Also, try to find out whose ship 'ambushed' us. When you do, get their frequency. I'd like to have a word with them." I growled, Kei nodded and set to work. "Logan, take care of the warp."

"Yes Captain." The teen said, I moved to the side to let him take the wheel and walked toward the elevator. Tochiro might have something to say about this whole affair, he's been quiet lately.

As soon as the elevator made it to 15th floor, or the middle of the ship, I headed straight for the computer room. Thinking all the while about this whole mess. The Vazor signals were clearly intentional, meaning someone wanted me, my crew and my ship. It wasn't the New Order, they don't have the resources and I'm surprised enough as it is that they sent the FTL ship on our tail. The ex-Gaia Coalition is on the verge of extinction, with maybe 2 ships left. That crossed out all the "legal" rivals of mine.

Emeraldas is missing-presumed-dead and has been for maybe 80 years, and she wouldn't abduct my crew unless she had a very good reason anyway. The Space Foxes don't have the gall to full on attack in such a manner. The Illumidas and Sylvidres haven't bothered humanity in 110 years and have no reason to now. From what I know La Metal is perfectly fine… Who could have a reason for attacking my crew and ship?

I was still pondering about allies, rivals and reasons for doing such a thing when I walked into the computer room. The Main Computer hummed impatiently when I came in, multiple lights flashing here and there.

"What is it old friend?" I asked, walking closer and laying a hand on what was essentially the heart of the Arcadia.

The computer flashed and went into a series of beeps. My normal frown gradually became a scowl.

"Do you really think it's him?" I growled once it was finished. The computer beeped.

"But he disappeared 15 years ago! No one has seen him since, everyone thought him dead after the asteroid struck his ship!" I said in cold fury. If it really was him… I was almost trembling with rage at this point.

" **Now entering the safe zone. Space warp in 5 minutes**." Logan's voice rang out from the com.

"Harlock…"

I looked over my shoulder to see that Miime had entered the room in her usual calm demeanor. I knew her better then that thought, her being here just proved that she was worried.

"Miime, if it is that snake we're dealing with, then it is imperative we rescue Phantom before he gets wind of one of the crew outside the Arcadia there's no telling what he'll do."

"He already knows. He must be heading there now." She said sadly.

"Then we better make double time." I said gravely. With that I walked toward the door and down the hallway, all the while thinking about how I could be so careless. The elevator ride seemed to last forever, and when it was finally over I burst out impatiently with my cape tugging behind me.

"Captain on bridge." Someone announced.

I went straight to the wheel, Kei, Logan and Yataran exchanging glances.

"Captain? What's wrong?" Kei asked, clearly worried.

"We are dealing with something incredibly more dangerous then what we originally thought." I said lowly, the gravity of the words catching everyone on the bridge off guard.

At that moment the elevator doors opened and Machii ran in, taking a moment to catch his breath.

"Captain… I… Found something… Really… Bad." He said between breaths. He walked over with a holo-screen tablet in his hands, and with a flick he sent whatever was on the screen to the Main screen.

"I was examining the camera footage from the Vazor incident." He said, clearer now. "I spotted this moments before the ship exploded."

He pointed to the footage on the main screen. "Watch the screen just below the Vazor." He pressed play. Milliseconds before the explosion filled the screen, a purple warp tunnel opened up, showing the silhouette of a ship. It was the silhouette that confirmed my fears. Machii rewound the footage and paused it at the frame where you could see the ship clearly.

"Captain, please tell me it isn't the ship I know it is" Machii asked desperately.

"There's no doubt now. That was the Impalor, and now Dune knows a crew member isn't on board." I said gravely. Machii's eyes widened. "Dune has been tracking us for quite a while, he would've seen that one life-form was missing after that 'ambush'." I noticed that everyone else present seemed confused. Right, they weren't on board yet when Dune and I first met.

"Um Captain… What are you talking about?" Logan asked, clearly not liking the fact that he didn't know what was happening.

"So you're saying that some 20 years ago, this Captain Dune started a rivalry with you and 5 years later attacked the Arcadia, brought it to its knees and was about to blast it off the face of the universe when his ship was struck by a very convenient asteroid and crippled, sending the ship with him in it towards a giant Gas Torus and that that was the last you ever saw of him. Until now." Logan summarized what I just spent 30 minutes explaining. We were in space warp, about 3 and a half hours away from our destination.

"In short yes. This all started 10 years before I began gathering a crew again. Machii, Dr. Zero and Miime were the only ones present." I sent a look toward Machii, and he subtly nodded back. They didn't need to know the other person or reason why Dune had attacked, and Machii understood that.

"I still can't believe the Arcadia was defeated…" Kei said quietly, she seemed quite shocked when I explained that yes, the Arcadia had been defeated that day.

"So we are going up against a ship with enough fire power to pose a serious threat to the Arcadia and with a Captain crazy enough to attack it." Yataran mumbled, bringing a hand down his face.

I shook my head no. "This doesn't change anything." I said clearly. "We are still going to get rid of the Vazor ships, and if that means going through Dune then so be it. Right now thought, Phantom needs our help."

The crew on the bridge who had heard my story looked up with new determination in their eyes, and I smiled to myself. This was the unstoppable force that was my crew, and I couldn't be more proud of that simple fact. I will not let anything happen to any single one of them, including Phantom. She was a part of this band and would forever be.

"Hey Captain! Result for the search on whose ship 'ambushed' us just came in." Logan said, holding a holo-screen tablet. "It says that it was the _Estrela Do Mar,_ captained by a certain Marcus 'Apollo' A. Alatrise, who was an ace FTL cargo pilot before joining the FTL board of directors and getting elected to represent them in the New Order a few years later. On a side note it says that he gained the name 'Captain Apollo' after he saved the New Apolleon 859, a Galaxy Railways train, from a Space Foxe attack." Logan chuckled. "It seems a lot of captains have nicknames. Dune, Apollo, what next Artemis? Mountain?—"

"Logan you're getting off topic." Kei said, smiling ever so slightly.

I walked over to my chair and sat down, resting my arm on the armrest and propping my head up with my hand.

"Well now, I think we should pay this Captain Apollo a visit. Don't you agree?" I asked to the whole bridge crew.

A chorus of 'Aye Captain's rang out and although this would be the perfect time to smirk I couldn't bring myself too. This new development worried me greatly, Dune was by no means a pushover, and the Arcadia had the scars to prove it. If he wanted revenge then there was no stopping him, whatever his plans may be.

Dune had rage 20 years in the making paired with unpredictability and strategic genius far superior to my own. That made him a dangerous man.

A very dangerous man indeed.

"GET BACK HERE YOU BRAT!"

"Nah I don't feel like it!"

Barrango lunged for my back as I rounded the corner, happily dodging the tackle. He ended up on his stomach and I continued to run on my way. At least I got my weapons back…

You see, once I had finished the call to Harlock, I ended up going straight to the dog-fighter bay. I got my gun and sword back but just has I was about to permanently borrow one of the fighters when Barrango and Yami showed up. And now here I was again, running from angry crew members on an unknown ship. Sound familiar? Yes well, I do truly have a talent for pissing people off.

Yami jumped over Barrango and unsheathed her pistol, I glanced back just as a bullet whistled by me head. I cursed, bullets hurt just as much as lasers, but lasers stopped the bleeding. Bullets didn't. I ducked behind another hallway and peaked off the side. Yami was hidden behind a corner too. I quickly ducked my head back to safety as the blue-haired lieutenant fired a few shots. I got out my own gun and returned fire quickly, hitting a spot on the wall near her head 3 times in a row before ducking again.

Yami had been one of the first people to 'interrogate' me. She hated me and it was a mutual feeling. While she was trying to get me to talk I noticed that she had no close combat weapons on her, so I assumed she preferred guns and was probably a good shot. Turns out I was right, and that wasn't a good thing.

I looked around, cursing. I had to go back the way I came to get to the dog fighters. That meant going through Yami and Barrango again. I looked out again, and aimed a shot at Barrango, who was now making to join Yami. I fired and he faltered in his steps, cursing before reaching Yami. I had grazed his calf.

I didn't want to kill any of them, but I wasn't above harming them. I was now faced with two choices. I could charge them, hoping to surprise them enough to sprint back toward the bay unhindered or I could run down either the hallway I was currently hiding in or the main hallway. The main hallway would swing back wouldn't it? I didn't know enough about this ship to tell for sure, the Arcadia had three main hallways, one running down each side and one straight down the middle. Every floor had them in exactly the same place, except the 5 bottom ones which had the fighter bay and the hangers. But this wasn't the Arcadia, and I was in no place to stay there day dreaming. I fired a few more shots to keep them from coming closer.

And that's when I heard a snarl like thunder behind me. I twirled around in time to see a _HUGE_ dog snap its teeth and charge at me. My eyes went wide and I bolted in the opposite direction, the dog's teeth snapping around where my neck would've been moments before.

"THIS IS SOOOO NOT FAIR!" I whined running down the main hallway with the mutt right behind me. It howled behind me.

I ran farther and farther from Yami and Barrango, thought I could hear them chasing behind the dog. I was tiring quickly, I hadn't been able to fully recover from anything yet and was running very low on 'run and gun for your life' juice. I looked up ahead and found that the main hall separated into two different smaller halls in opposite directions. I made a quick mental map of what I knew of this ship, finding that the way to the bay might be to the right.

So I turned right, and did a sliding stop as soon as. I cursed.

"I think it's time you give it up." Marcus said, holding his rifle straight at my nose. I scowled. The mutt, which I now noticed was a Great Dane about the height of my hips, sat down panting and happily wagging its tail in front of Marcus.

"Thanks Sari. You did great girl." Marcus said with a smile. He then turned back to me, just as Yami and Barrango finally caught up. Both were breathing heavily and Barrango was limping. I smiled a little bit at that.

Yami scowled at me, and I waved.

"Give me your weapons." Marcus said, holding out a hand. My smile disappeared.

"I feel no obligation to do that." I growled, putting one hand on my saber's hilt. The mutt's attitude changed in an instant, and it was now growling at me. I wasn't intimidated at all, now the only thing that could intimidate me was an angry Captain Harlock. Marcus lifted an eyebrow.

"I'm not above shooting a kid." Marcus tried again.

"Really? Good thing I'm a teenager." I shot back, glaring at him.

"I will shoot."

"That the best you can do?"

"The Arcadia is heading straight into an ambush. 7 patrols have gathered near and are waiting just beyond radar range." Marcus said deadly serious. This shut me up. He could be bluffing, and then again might not be. I frowned. I knew and had confidence the Arcadia could take on a large number of ships, but 21 ships? Not without heavy damage.

"And that entices me to hand over my weapons how?" I said calmly. On the inside I was worried and angry. Poker faces do come in handy.

"If you don't warn them, or if we don't call off the patrols then there's absolutely no way Harlock won't get away without some damage. 21 ships is a lot, even for a power house like the Arcadia." Marcus said in a 'captain' tone.

And that's when everything went to hell.

"Oh space…" Kei said in quiet horror. For once, I was speechless. This carnage was… was merciless. The sight outside the bridge windows was horrible.

The remains of 7 patrols, or 21 ships, floated outside, some explosions still going off inside some of the ships who were burning. No one was left alive.

"Captain… Someone left a message for us in a communication probe…" Yataran said quietly, breaking the deep silence that had conquered the bridge ever since our arrival only minutes ago.

"Play it." I ordered, still guiding the Arcadia with a hand on the wheel. We had slowed to a crawl.

"Hello Harlock. Miss me?" The message started. I gripped the wheel in rage. That man…

"Like the present? You should be thanking me, they were meant for you. Anyway, since you must be piss-pot angry right now, let me get to the point. I want you dead, and I want it to be painful. Quite frankly, at this point I believe that's a mutual feeling." I was sheathing in fury. He had killed them all in cold blood. Almost 1500 men and women, murdered.

"Well at this point I've decided I'll start with your crew. You _know_ they're your one biggest weakness, but you keep pledging your life to them. Pity."

The wheel peg I was holding onto cracked under my hand.

"So how about this, I propose a little game. You have one week to find the little lost kitten, and every day her quality time with me gets longer. If you find her before then she's all yours, if not I'm giving her to a very special friend of mine, and you'll never see her again… Oh! I almost forgot! You have 30 seconds to get out of this slaughter field before every single one of the ships goes nuclear. Bah-Bye now!"

The line went dead. 30 seconds to go.

"Let's go! Full speed, go toward Pluto!" I barked, barely managing not to explode in anger. The Arcadia lurched forward, and I spun the wheel around 180o, the ship's bow followed. 20 seconds. I cursed. Around the bridge, I noticed looks of anger and worry. Thinking about what Dune would do to Phantom made me sick. Would she even be alive after a week? Or would Dune torture her past her mental limit?

"Captain… We're not gonna make it…" Yataran said nervously, while tapping at his control station in awe inspiring speeds. 10 seconds. We were a few kilometers from the edge of the carnage field.

"Yes we are." I growled. _Come on Tochiro!_ I thought. _We're not going to let this get in our way!_

As soon as I thought that the Arcadia put in a burst of speed, clearing the debris field and the lethal blast range. We would be fine.

"Captain! Mine dead ahead, unavoidable!" Kei exclaimed frantically.

Or not.

"Brace!" I ordered.

The Arcadia's bow hit the mine straight on, engulfing the front of the ship in flames that quickly died out. The whole ship was rocked backward, the shockwave making the engines skip a few times and knocking a few people fall from their chair. Debris flew back and hit the windows, scratching a few places but not strong enough to break through. The bombs we had been escaping blew up at the same time, shockwaves shook the Arcadia from back to bow. Once the shaking and shock subsided everyone was back on their feet in moments.

"Damage to the bow severe Captain! Losing air pressure as we speak!"

"Close the bulkheads around the leak. Where is the hole?"

"Port bow. Bulkheads closed and fire teams already heading to sectors A-B 10."

"Were any men near the blast range?"

"Yes but all are fine."

Kei and Yataran continued to exchange reports back and forth while I took care of leading the Arcadia back toward Phantom's last known coordinates.

"Captain!" Kei suddenly said, pressing a few buttons on her control panel. "Someone's sending out an S.O.S from the other side of Pluto!"

I perked up. "Display coordinates on the main screen."

I looked up as the screen lit, showing the Arcadia in blue, Pluto just ahead in grey-blue and a red 'S.O.S' marked the coordinates to the distressed vessel. It was around 3 Space kilometers away from Pluto's atmosphere, 15 Space klics from us. Not even a 10 minute trip at top speed.

"Let's go check it out." I said, thinking that we could find some clues about Phantom there. Maybe Dune was just bluffing. I doubted it.

"Hey Captain… Aren't those the same coordinates as the ones Phantom sent?" Logan said suddenly. I stopped what I was doing and realized that yes, they were indeed the same.

I cursed.

"Double the speed!" I growled. "We need to get there as fast as possible!"

"Aye Captain!"


	14. Chapter 13

"Captain!"

Marcus groaned. He felt like he had been hit by a galaxy railway train two times over. His head pounded.

"Captain wake up!"

The shaking wasn't helping either… _Maybe I should stop pretending to be unconscious now…_ Marcus thought ruefully.

"I know!"

 _Uh-oh…_

"Canoooonnn Bal—"

"I'M AWAKE OK DON'T JUMP ON ME!" Marcus sat up painfully, making his head spin. In front of him sat a very smug looking Yami. She turned to Miko, who looked extremely worried.

"There, see. I told you he was fine." Yami said proudly. Marcus noticed that both she and Miko looked a bit worse for wear. He brought a hand down his face groggily. He had trouble recalling what had happened.

"We were attacked by a super OP ship." Keago said, as if reading Marcus' thoughts. Marcus had only just now realized he was standing beside Miko. Kigo wasn't around shockingly, and that sent alarms off in the Captain.

"Damages?" He asked.

"Extreme. I'm surprised we're still alive. Kigo, Sari and Barrango are all wounded." Keago reported, and although he kept his 'holier-than-thou' attitude, Marcus noticed his head mechanic's voice tighten at the mention of his sibling being wounded.

"Right well—" Then something struck Marcus has off. Something was missing. He looked around and quickly figured out what that was. "What about the prisoner?" He asked, getting to his feet.

"She disappeared. We're thinking that the ship that attacked us took her." Miko said, offering a shoulder when Marcus stumbled a bit once standing.

"Its weird thought, no one really remembers what happened… Barrango, you and I were facing off against the prisoner after Sari chased her when BAM all of a sudden something rammed into the port (left) side and sent us tumbling." Yami exclaimed making big gestures to show the explosion. "Then when we all wake up, Barrango is in critical, Keago and Kigo are in the fighter bay for some reason and Me, Sari and the Captain were all passed out here."

"So no one remembers what happened?" Marcus asked, filtering through his lieutenants lighting fast words and trying to piece the last hour or so's events in order. He got negatives.

"It's almost as if someone erased it out of our memory…" Miko shrugged. "We should get back to the bridge, see the true depth of the damages and then brainstorm about what happened. The _Estrela_ 's computers will have already sent out an S.O.S for anyone in the area."

Marcus nodded, struck with a sudden wave of pride with how his crew was handling this. _Really, they're handling it better than me…_

"That sounds like a plan, lead the way." Marcus said, and the mini group made their way toward the main bridge.

"Holy Space Noodles…."

"Now isn't the time for supernatural space food Yami…." Marcus grumbled flatly. His mood had gotten worse and worse. First, they had discovered a huge hole in the side of his ship, so they had to take a detour before they got sucked into space, next they found Coma, who was getting ready to perform _surgery_ on Barrango, who had been stabbed through the shoulder with a piece of debris, _then_ once they finally got to the main bridge they discovered that almost 3 _full_ _ **hours**_ had gone by before they woke up.

"But Captain!"

Keago, Miko and Marcus tuned out her rant about how good holy space noodles would taste in this time of emergency and continued to examine the ships reports. Namely: a huge gaping hole across 4 of 6 sectors on the _Estrela_ 's port (left) side, the whole bow bent out of shape and on top of this everything that was left from the fight with Harlock, including the damaged engines. So they were stranded. Not to mention Barrango in surgery, Kigo with a broken leg and Sari with a broken tail. Coma was tending to them.

"What about the S.O.S?" Marcus asked, still trying to figure out just what the hell had happened.

"No one seems to be close enough." Miko reported depressingly.

"The patrols?"

"Not responding. Next scheduled patrol isn't coming for another day or so." Keago answered this time. Although he preferred the engine room, Keago still knew his way around the bridge.

Something pinged on one of the machines. Yami hurried over to it.

"Captain! Someone's responding to the S.O.S signal!"

"I stand corrected…" Keago muttered.

Marcus perked up.

"Put it up on the main screen." He ordered, walking around the helm to be in full view of whoever was answering.

"Captain Apollo I presume?" Marcus stood in shock for a few seconds, and then quickly gathered his thoughts. Yami and Miko were another story thought. Keago stayed as impassive as ever.

Harlock. "Captain Apollo?" Snickering could be heard from somewhere behind the pirate captain, and Harlock sent whoever it was a glare.

"Um Y-Yes, that's me." Marcus babbled stupidly. _Holy space… this day is getting weirder and weirder…_ He thought internally.

"So you're the man with the gull to 'ambush' the Arcadia. Impressive." Harlock continued, incredibly nonchalant for a man talking to his enemy. _Then again… he's literally got 100 years experience…_ Marcus still couldn't believe this was happening.

"Anyway, I believe you have taken one of my crew hostage." Harlock's tone change was very subtle, but left Marcus in a cold sweat. _How can his crew manage?_

"Well—"

"Actually mister Pirate Captain, your little she-python is currently M.I.A." Yami broke in, slightly shoving Marcus out of the way. Harlock frowned and Marcus could swear that the temperature in _both_ bridges dropped a few dozen degrees.

"Elaborate."

"Someone attacked us 3 hours back. We just woke up maybe 30 minutes ago. When we checked the ship's reports we were one person short compared to when we got knocked out." This was one of the rare times when Yami did act her age, and now she was dead serious. "We can only assume whoever attacked us took her."

"I see." Harlock said, seemingly in deep thought. He scowled.

"Well, Captain Apollo, I have reason to believe man who attacked you is named Captain John C. Fargo, more widely known as Captain Dune." Harlock said, but it was more of a growl.

"That is good to know, but why tell me this? Not even 12 hours ago I was attacking you." Marcus said, confused.

"You mistake my intent. Dune is as much a threat to me as he is to the New Order." Harlock continued, now with his arms crossed. Marcus noted that the Arcadia was within visible range from the _Estrela's_ bridge.

"As a representative of the Order, and quite frankly the closest thing they got to a military general, it's your duty to get rid of that threat." Marcus was greatly confused by this point.

"What are you getting at?" Marcus asked firmly.

"Your mission was to capture me, obviously. I wish you luck." Harlock did a two finger salute. Marcus jumped out of his confusion.

"Wait don't—" The line went dead. "Cut the line…" Marcus finished lamely.

The Captain looked to Miko, then to Keago and Yami. All seemed equally as confused as Marcus felt.

"Well… That was weird." He said after a moment of silence.

"Damn straight." Scowled Keago.

"Wait look! The Arcadia is still coming at us!" Yami pointed out the windows. The Arcadia was indeed still coming, it was maybe 10 kilometers away. A few moments later the huge ship was right alongside the _Estrela_ , dwarfing the FTL cargo vessel in comparison. Marcus took note that the skull-decorated prow had seen better days, as an understatement.

Keago whistled. "Never realized that monster was just so plain _big_." He said.

Marcus watched in growing confusion as the Arcadia went by, but just as it passed out of viewing range from the bridge, a line shot out, hooking onto the _Estrela_ 's bow.

"That's a towing cable!" Miko gasped in surprise. Marcus shook his head in disbelief.  
The _Estrela_ 's bow turned to follow the line slowly, picking up speed as it straightened out.

"He's towing us toward the Delta Outpost…" Marcus realized. It was the closest Outpost to Pluto, since Pluto didn't have any real major colony.

"You know, I never thought a man who has lived over a hundred years as the virtual king of space pirates would be so damn contradicting. I mean, shouldn't he be shooting at us?" Yami pouted with her arms crossed.

"Do you want him to shoot at us?" Keago said nicely. That usual meant he was about to insult somebody.

"No Baka."

"Then shut up and leave it be." Keago snapped.

Yami scuffed and scowled at him.

"Ummm… Guys…"

"You're just a dog with a lot of bark and no bite Keago, you and Kigo both!" Yami retorted.

"That would make you what then? A 23 year old brat? I'd agree to that." Keago shot back. Marcus looked skyward in despair.

"Guys….."

"You know what, I rather be me then you!"

"Yeah well me too!"

"Yeah!"

"Yeah!"

"GUYS!" 3 heads turned in surprise to Miko, who was scowling with his arms crossed. "Now that I got your attention, can I point out that we aren't going in Delta Outpost's direction? Also, we're gaining a whole lot of speed for a tow…"

Marcus checked their course, and found that yes, they were indeed _not_ heading toward the outpost. They had also sped up immensely.

"Where the devil is he bringing us?" Marcus asked rhetorically.

"If I may Captain, he seems to be towing us in Mars' general direction…" Miko answered.

"Your right… But he can't go that deep into Solar space without having to fight his way back out." Marcus pondered this for a bit.

The _Estrela_ jolted a bit and surged forward, forcing her crew to grab hold of something. Harlock had sped up. It suddenly dawned on Captain Apollo.

"He isn't going to drag us all the way… He's going to fling us in the general direction." Marcus said in cold horror.

"And jeez, just when I thought he was warming up to us!" Cackled Keago.

"Speed up to Battle speed 5."

The Arcadia lurched forward 4 times faster than it was going before. Captain Harlock was at his usual spot, holding on to the helm with one hand while the other took care of plotting a warp course for after they got rid of the New Order ship. He was thinking of what he had just set up. _If Captain Apollo tracked down the Vazor ships then the Arcadia could ignore them and head straight to Dune, hopefully to face him without any of the galaxy's battering rams._ He thought, making the course from Solar space to Tobito. Once there they would restock on water and any other supplies, hopefully repair the bow too. Now done with the course setting Harlock confirmed it and turned back to face forward.

The other thing nagging the Captain brought a worried frown to his face. It was question that no matter how much he thought about it he could not find the answer. _Where was Dune getting the Vazor ships? Was it another rival? It obviously involved the 14 year time period where he disappeared…_

"Captain, awaiting your orders!" Kei called, snapping the Captain back to attention.

"How far behind us is the _Estrela_?" The Captain asked, double checking the direction they were about to launch the small FTL ship.

"700 mega meters. The towing line is stable." Yataran said, yawning slightly.

"I imagine you've all guessed what were going to do…" Harlock said, mentally calculating the angle they would need to successfully dodge under the _Estrela_.

"We've done crazier things…" Kei sighed. The Captain nodded in approval.

"On my command, release the line and dive at a 60o degree angle."

The crew gave a collective wave of nervous chuckles, rolled eyes and "Here we go again"s. They all trusted the Captain undoubtedly, but if they got the angle wrong a small FTL ship going at blink-and-you-miss speeds would crash into the Arcadia, and although the FTL was only about 1/3 the size of ship the damage would be monstrous. Of course, the Arcadia could fix its own scrapes, but the vessel was already busy with the bow, which would also need additional repairs, meaning that the collision they would get from the FTL would not repair immediately. They worried for naught thought, the Captain had 110 years experience after all.

"Now!"

A shudder went through the Arcadia as the taught line released, and immediately after the ship's nose dove down, almost vertical. The crew felt like they were floating for a quick second, before the artificial gravity kicked in. Quite a few people were holding their breath as the Arcadia continued its head-plant, before the Captain pulled up on the wheel a minute later, leveling out his ship.

The sight was amazing. The _Estrela_ 's bow came into view near the top of the bridge windows, followed by the rest. It shot by, passing about 300 mega meters above the Arcadia's highest turrets. The Captain smirked in a satisfied manner, and the men who had been holding their breath let it out in awe.

"Well now, our list of "stuff normal pirate and law ships would call suicide" is growing bigger by the week…" Yataran chuckled, putting his hands behind his head in a relaxed way.

"Of course, we excel at that." Kei said proudly. Harlock looked around, taking into account you was on deck at the moment. Yataran and Kei, the men at the sub-stations, Miime at the dark matter engine and—

"Where's Logan?" He asked, noticing his apprentice missing from his usual spot near the helm.

"He went with Machii to the engine room I think…" Kei said, shrugging.

"That's a new one…" Yataran said sarcastically.

Just then the elevator doors slid open, Logan walking in with a big brown hat. Harlock was struck with how much it resembled Tochiro's trade mark hat.

"Speak of the devil…" Kei said with a raised eyebrow. "Where did ya get the hat?"

"Well, Dr. Zero told me where Phantom's room was…" Logan said with a sheepish smile. Harlock raised an eyebrow.

"You snooped in her room?" Kei scowled. Logan shrugged.

"I was curious, and I found this." He held up the hat. Harlock lapsed from the conversation and turned the Arcadia around, taking them out toward the border so that they could warp out undetected and untraced.

Dr. Zero came in, looking as if he ran the whole way to the bridge.

"LOGAN YOU WERENT SUPPOSED TO LEAVE BEFORE I EXAMINED YOU!" The good doctor roared. Logan flinched.

"But I'm not hurt!" The younger argued, waving the hat.

"That's for me to decide!"

"But I'm fine!" In all the action, a single small yellowish-white thing fell out from somewhere in the hat. The motion caught everyone's eyes and the men arguing stopped mid-yell.

The paper stopped near the Captain's feet, and he picked it up. It was in fact a folded letter, obviously quite old. Inside was a picture. The Captain read through the letter with the picture in one hand, and his eye gradually widened. He then glanced at the picture, then back at the letter, and repeated this in a very fast sequence. He looked slightly panicked

This left everyone who was in view of the Captain with an incredulous look. For the captain to act like this…

"Captain?" Dr. Zero broke the silence, but the captain didn't look up. Harlock was now steadily looking at the picture.

Miime walked up, everyone was now severely freaked out and worried. Miime included.

"Harlock?" She asked quietly. The Captain looked up and took an unsteady breath. Instead of replying, Harlock walked toward the elevator, placing the papers on his chair before continuing. The doors opened, and before he walked in he looked over his shoulder.

"Logan, take care of the warp." The Captain said in a quiet voice that didn't fit him.

And he was gone.

Immediately Dr. Zero pounced on the papers, reading the letter and just like the Captain, his eyes went wide. He held the picture in trembling hands and studied it. The meaning of this was not lost on him, fore he was one of the three crew members present the day the picture was taken, over 14 years ago.

"Ohhhh space…." He said softly.

"What is it Doc?" Logan asked slightly impatient. Yataran and Kei nodded, both wanting to know as much as Logan. Miime walked over to Dr. Zero, peered at the picture and sighed, before following the Captain without a word.

Dr. Zero looked at the trio, wished he had brought his bottle of sake and passed a hand down his face. Should he tell them? No. It was the Captain's story to tell. Would they harass him for the answer? Yes. The Doctor sighed. He looked down at Cassia James Fairburn's face, smiling brightly at him through the picture. The crew weren't ready for this secret to be revealed just yet… And quite frankly, the Doctor doubted that the Captain was either. He looked to the trio again. They were waiting somewhat impatiently for the short man in white to answer them.

Instead, Dr. Zero neatly folded the letter around the picture like it had been before Logan had shaken it loose and walked by the group. By the time Kei, Yataran and Logan realized what was happening the Doctor was already in the elevator on his way to the Medi-wing, and the group's attention was pulled back to the impending space warp the Captain had left them with.

And although the three secretly agreed that spending one whole year without action was insufferable, the strange events of the last couple weeks had them all wishing for the lazy days of cruising space.


	15. Chapter 14

The air stank of burning Cosmo-Titanium, the metal used for spaceships, and old meat. That was the first thing I realized upon waking up. The second thing I realized was that it was scorching hot and I was sweating slightly. I opened my eyes and came face to face with a huge engine boiler, steam coming off of the metal. I blinked a few times. _Wait a minute... The Arcadia runs on dark matter, not plasma..._

Then I remembered, being kidnapped by Marcus, escaping, getting caught again, and then something huge slamming into the ship and sending me into a wall. This must be a ship then... _Question is: which one and who's the captain?_

The third thing I realized after I woke was that I was tied up again, this time with chains and to a wall. My feet weren't bound, but my arms were chained to a single metal ring in the wall behind me. I had a little slack so I could move around, and I used that to get up. Apart from still being a bit sore, none of my wounds hurt, and when I checked on them they seemed healed. All but a newly received cut on my temple, most likely from when I hit the wall with my head on Marcus' ship.

I looked down toward my belt, the weight of my weapons being absent yet again. I sighed. _This is starting to be annoying_... Ever so subtly, I checked to see where my knife was, and to my satisfaction it was still in its hiding place. I rolled my shoulders and looked around my "cell".

It was indeed a boiler room, with one huge boiler for what I assume would be the main engine and 6 smaller ones for auxiliary engines. I was currently facing the main boiler, the others being on a level below me so that I could see them. It had to be at least 60 degrees in the cavernous room, I'm lucky I grew up on a desert planet or else I would be dying of heat. My throat was dry thought, and I was parched. If I had to guess, last time I had something to drink was on the Arcadia, and if I was still guessing right that was almost 12 hours ago.

I moved my right arm so that I could get a good look at the chains. They seemed amazingly strong, like the kind of chain used by smaller ships for towing and move cargo. _Why would someone use this for a prisoner? I'm not_ _ **that**_ _strong for space sake!_

I tugged at it, bit it (not a good idea, my teeth hurt) and tried pulling it out of the wall with the ring but nothing worked. I plopped down to the floor, tired, thirsty and getting hungry. I fumbled with some of the bandages around my torso, trying to think of something else that could work. But who was I kidding? If I was right then these chains were made of Space A Grade Steel, or even Cosmo-Titanium! I couldn't break through that!

A heavy door creaked open and slammed shut, making me jump. I snapped my head to the right, where now stood a man. He was about the same height has Harlock, as in damn tall, but was wayyyyyyyy older, at least in his 50s. He had short grey/dark-brown hair slicked back in a stylish way and slate grey eyes much like my own. He was wearing a dark purple dress shirt on top of a white shirt with black dressy jeans and black boots. He was wearing white gloves too. His whole look seemed classy and stylish. He smiled as he walked closer.

"Hello there." He said in a kind voice. He stopped walking once he came near me. I noticed he was carefully just outside my reach. I narrowed my eyes at him, scowling.

"I'm sorry my co-workers put you here, you must be uncomfortable." He said, producing a key from under his sleeve. "If you will allow me, I will now unlock these chains. You only have to promise me that you don't run or attack... Please."

I studied him. His lop-sided grin seemed authentic and his tone was convincing... but there was something unnerving about him. No matter what I thought I felt like a rabbit with a hound about to leap on it. A moment passed. I didn't budge or say anything.

The man sighed. "Of course, how idiotic of me! How are you supposed to trust me if you don't know who I am?" His smile grew. "Allow me to present myself! I am Captain John Cornelius Fargo!" He bowed. "But people know me better as Captain Dune."

I weighed my options, on one hand, this "Dune" didn't seem so bad... on the other, he could be faking. But what choice did I have? Either way, if he was evil I would find out sooner or later.

Dune lifted an eyebrow. "Fair's Fair, your turn." He said, obviously wanting my name.

"Phantom." I croaked, scowling at my voice. The heat and my dry throat made it sound bad.

"No last name?" He asked chuckling.

"Nope." I said, my voice sounding a bit better.

"Well now Phantom, will you let me unchain you?"

I didn't answer his question, instead I stood up and moved to the side, so he could reach the lock on the ring easier. With a nod, he did so, also unwrapping the chains from my arms in the process. I rubbed them to get them back to normal and looked to Dune again. I was tempted to take him out then and there, but thought better of it. If he was a Captain, then he was more dangerous then he looked. Not only that, but when he moved you could see lean muscles under his dress shirt.

"So Captain Dune, how did I get here?" I asked. On my end I saw two possibilities, either Dune was the one to attack Marcus, or someone else did and Dune saved me. Both could happen, although the second one was more far-fetched.

"I came across the Space Foxes an hour ago, you were with them. I had to keep you tied up for I was unsure whether you were a Foxe or not." He said, turning toward the door and walking to it. I followed at a distance. His story seemed plausible, but would Foxes attack Marcus? Probably. I shrugged.

"I'm not a Foxe. Don't worry." I said, carefully not mentioning what I was instead. If Dune ran with the New Order then I would be frigged.

"So what are you then?" Dune asked, holding the door for me. I looked at him, weighing the possibility of him stabbing me in the back, literally. When I found it to be low I slipped through the doorway, orienting myself so that I was facing Dune as he followed. He chuckled at my apparent paranoia.

"Whatever you are, it isn't anything on the right side of the law." He remarked, starting to lead the way to wherever we were going. I scowled at his back.

"How do you know?" I said lowly.

"A soldier wouldn't be so quick to assume that someone would stab them in the back."

"You're a soldier?" Dune answered with another question.

"Are you, by chance, a pirate?" My scowl deepened.

"Are you, by chance, a general?" I shot back.

Dune laughed this time. "No, I'm what you would call a... Privateer."

I raised an eyebrow, but didn't move to continue the conversation. Dune turned right, and continued walking. He glanced over his shoulder.

"You're suspicious of me." He remarked, as if offended.

"I have right to be." I said flatly. What I wanted now was water, not conversation.

"True." He continued walking, and I following. The silence wasn't heavy, but it drifted like fog, preventing me from seeing my way through the character that was Mr. Captain Dune.

"Here we are!" Dune said suddenly, stopping so abruptly that I almost face-planted into him. It had been maybe 10 minutes since we had said anything.

"This is the cafeteria, I thought you would be hungry and thirsty." He said, opening the door and stepping through.

"You thought right." I said, walking in after him and again making it so that I faced him.

The cafeteria was huge, probably half the size of the _Estrela_ 's main hangar... _How big is this ship_? I thought, following Dune toward a big counter. Oddly enough, only two other men were in the room, both had stood up as Dune entered the room.

"Phantom, allow me to present Clayhate Coil—" Dune said, pointing to a skinny man about Logan's height with small mousy eyes and dull, greasy blonde hair. His nose was croaked from one too many brawls.

" _Mademoiselle_." The man said in a reedy voice as he bowed. I didn't like him at all.

"—And Vault Mizer." Dune finished, motioning to a hulking mass of muscle. The man was baled and had a ragged scar going from his left temple across his lips. He was at least 7 ft tall.

"Huh." Was all he said... Vault didn't come off as very smart.

"These two have been my trusted crew for more than a decade now." Dune said motioning for me to follow him again.

"Your only crew?" I asked, lifting my eyebrow. A ship this big would need at least a crew of 20!

"Yes." Dune turned to me and smirked at my expression of suspicion. He chuckled. "You see, my ship is 70% computer operated. It only needs a Captain- Me, a radar and aiming operator- Clayhate, and an engine operator- Vault."

I frowned. "But what about the human factor? What if the computers malfunction?" I asked. A ship without a crew is a lonely sight, but computer operated? It sounded wrong.

Dune sighed. "Your view is unoriginal. Every other Captain I've met so far said the same thing. I trust computers over humans. Men are only men, and how many of them are responsible for devastating 'accidents'?"

I narrowed my eyes. He had a very potent point. "Yes, but computers do not have a heart." Dune stopped his walk toward the counter and turned to face me with a frown.

"What good is a heart if it only gets you killed? If you give mercy the enemy will just rise again to stab you in the back once you've turned around."

"To each his own." I said flatly, not wanting to continue the debate. Dune quirked an eyebrow and smirked.

"You're an interesting character."

"I'd say the same."

Dune turned around and hopped over the counter with surprising ease for an older man. _I shouldn't underestimate him_... I realized with a jolt. If it ever came to a fight, I wasn't sure I would win.

"So, what would you like to eat?" Dune asked.

"Water. Just a glass of water for now." I said, taking a seat at the counter on a stool.

Dune got a glass and filled it, putting it on the counter in front of me. With a nod of thanks I downed the glass in a few gulps. The cold liquid felt amazing. I put the glass back down and licked my lips.

I motioned for another one and Dune filled it with a chuckle. That one I drank slowly, enjoying it. I put the glass back down again.

"Better?" Dune asked, putting the jug of water back into a cooler out of my view.

"Better." I said. My stomach chose that moment to growl like a pack of starved wolves.

"I'm going to make some fried rice." Dune said, getting various ingredients from around the kitchen and lighting a huge stove. I watched in amazement as he flew through the kitchen with the speed and precision of a master chef. In no time at all, a plate of steaming rice with chucks of meat, carrots and eggs mixed in was placed in front of me. It smelled like heaven. Dune walked around the counter this time with his own plate and sat down in the chair next to me.

" _Bon appétit_!" He said before digging into his own meal. I sucked mine up, only now realizing how hungry I was. While chewing I thought about the last time I ate, and was surprised to find that it was almost a day back when Marcus had given me a couple granola bars. _Heh, this marks my third week in space_... I thought with a smirk. Dune got up and severed me another plate, with a smile I took it and continued eating.

Three plates and a very amused looking Dune later, I was full. I sighed happily, closing my eyes and lazily enjoying everything.

"Damn, when was the last time you ate a proper meal?" Dune asked, taking my plate and dumping it in a sink.

"...Maybe a day and a half ago? I don't know exactly." I said, opening an eye.

"My Space! Do they starve people on the Arcadia or what?"

I snapped up and narrowed my eyes. Dune lifted an eyebrow. "You didn't think I'm that stupid... Give a 51 year old a break will you."

"I never told you anything even _relatively close_ about where I hail from." I growled, wishing I had my sword. I didn't want to reveal my knife yet, so I was stuck bare handed.

"Yes, you did. For one: You said you weren't a Space Foxe. Two: You're not on the 'right' side of the law, and lastly you're definitely not from the Queen Esmeraldas or my own crew. Who else is left then the Immortal Space Pirate?" Dune said in a neutral tone.

I narrowed my eyes. I had let my guard down and slipped the information when he made it seem like a normal conversation. Unease swept over me. This man was dangerous and anything but stupid. It didn't help that I realized he could've lied about a lot of what we were saying. That's when the last part of what he said struck me.

"Wait, _Immortal_!?" I said, bewildered. Then it hit me. Miime had said that Harlock was a hundred years old. I almost face planted despite myself. _I'm such an idiot... of course he would have to be immortal! Even if it defies all logic..._

"Oh, so you don't know the history of your own ship?" Dune said in a posh-ish mock-surprise tone. I scowled. In fact, I knew next to nothing about the crew, the ship and the Captain other then names and dates. I had a feeling Dune was ruffling my feathers on purpose, but took the bait anyway.

"Yah, so?!" I growled, sending him a glare. Dune put his hands up in mock surrender.

"Hey, don't kill the messenger! I just feel like you should know..." He trailed off in a regretful manner.

"Know what?" I growled again.

"Well now, it all started about 100 years ago..."

"The Home Coming War..." I said. Although I knew next to nothing about a lot of space related history and news, the Home Coming war was common knowledge. Centuries back, when mankind's oceans were dying and resources were dwindling, the world leaders started space exploration projects. Ships were built, men were trained and years later earth was back on track so to speak. But human had become lazy with robots to do all their work for them and soon enough alien races took the opportunity to get themselves a new planet. Humans started once again for the stars, and stayed there. Time skip a bit and Bam: Everyone wanted to go back to earth again. But, the population had expanded to a staggering 500 billion or so and naturally, so many humans wouldn't fit on the Mother planet. Enter the Home Coming War.

"Harlock was already a pirate well before the War started." Dune said. Somehow that didn't surprise me. I wondered how old Harlock was before the war. "But once it did, the Gaia Coalition hired him as a mercenary and made the dear Captain a new ship."

"The Arcadia."

"Full name: Arcadia of my Youth III. Well now, I'm lying. They didn't really build him a new ship, they just upgraded his existing one to a Dark matter system with the help of a couple other members of Miime's race." Dune continued, leaning on the counter with his head propped up by an arm. He watched my face as I processed the info. I scowled deeply.

"How do you know so much about my Captain?" I said lowly. Dune examined my expression carefully.

"You could say I know him very well. Same as I knew your mother very well before him, Phantom F. H. Fairborn." He smiled mysteriously as I gaped at him. _He knew my... Mother? And he knows my full name! Except those initials_... My mind raced, my expression going from shocked to angry to curious to angry again. I went to say something but Dune held up a finger.

"Ah Ah Ah! I'm not done my story. I'm not going into gory details, but this is fact: The Gaia Coalition lied to Harlock, he blew a gasket and ruined our Mother planet with Dark matter from the other 3 ships in his armada. Making himself immortal and binding himself and Miime to the Arcadia in the process." Dune smiled at my anger, making it flare higher. I felt like ripping out my knife and stabbing him... But I didn't. Curiosity was an irritating quality to have. Dune's smile deepened as if he were tuning into my thoughts.

"Captain Harlock disappeared after that. His crew and armada were dead and destroyed, Miime and that awful pet bird of his were all that was left. In fact, he stayed M.I.A till no more than a year ago, where he came back with the purpose of resetting the Genesis Clock. Again no gory details, but that involved blowing the universe up. Logan, the kid now serving as apprentice-captain, was originally sent to destroy the crew from the inside out. He ended up joining and proving both Harlock and the Coalition wrong... I'm sure you've heard of the Gaia Coalition's collapse?" I nodded, not being able to find words. "Then you know the rest already." I nodded again.

Dune's story left me thinking. I had joined Captain Harlock with 2 main goals: To find my father and to leave Heavy Melder for a very, very, very long time. I bit off more than I could metaphorically chew. To me, Harlock seemed like a reasonable Captain. Dune's story unbalanced my perspective. I wouldn't judge prematurely... But _Blowing the universe_? I was confused and now doubted Harlock's mind set.

"I see I've opened your eyes." Dune stated, seeing my frown and distant look.

"Surely he had his reasons..." I defended. Even I could hear how weak it was.

"Look Phantom, I can not judge your Captain for you. I have but informed you of the situation." Dune said in a gentle voice. I snapped my gaze back to him, pushing aside my newfound doubt of the Captain and his history. Another problem had to be solved.

"How did you know my mother, _and my name_?" I almost growled out the last part, but held it back. I could not hide my disdain thought. Dune smirked in an irritating way.

"Now Phantom... I must keep some of my secrets for another day." Dune said sweetly, before looking to someone behind me. "Clayhate will show you to a more... _civilized_ room. Good day." And without another word, or time for me to say something in frustration, Captain Dune got up and left.

"Miss, if you would follow me..." Clayhate's reedy voice hissed from behind me. I frowned. _I didn't even hear him walk up!_ _Damnit Phantom! What happened to your killer awareness_? I mentally kicked myself before plastering a fake smile on my face and getting off of my stool. I turned to the mousy man and nodded.

"This way."

I followed the man out of the cafeteria and in the opposite direction from when I first entered. I made sure to note where markers were and where interesting things were placed. So far, just the Upper Boiler Room, Cafeteria and Third Central Computer were located on this floor, which was smack bam in the middle of the ship.

A few minutes later Clayhate stopped in front of a door near the beginning of a row of doors which I assumed were the crew quarters.

"If you need anything at all, Mine and Vault's rooms are 'round to the end. Goodnight Miss." Clayhate bowed his head slightly before starting to walk away, but I called out to him.

"One thing?"

Clayhate turned around. "Yes Miss?"

"What's the name of this vessel?"

Clayhate smiled a smile of pure content.

" _The Impaler_ Miss, _The Liberty Impaler_."


	16. Chapter 15

**A/N: Sorry about the first update... Idk what happened, but it was fine when I put it there. Anyway, Thanks JustPlainDontAsk and Erzi for telling me about it. I wouldn't have checked until the next chapter was ready! Also, this ain't my best chapter, I was annoyed with it quite a lot. It's half filler half I don't even know anymore... *sighs***

"Sir, you rang?" A playful voice called. His eyes flashed golden on the screen, the only thing lighting up the room in which the monitor was set up.

"I heard you were promoted. Congratulations." A deep monotone said, coming from a chair facing the display. The man was cloaked in shadow, the only thing visible were deep crimson eyes.

"I am sorry it took so long to get even this low ranking, Sir." The man said, the playfulness gone.

"No worries. The plan is going smooth. Dune has captured the target girl. Arthur is back among us too."

The first man's eyes flashed. "Thank you, Sir."

"I heard that that Captain Apollo has landed in the Delta. I might be able to use him to further the plan. Learn has much as you can about that man, his ship and his crew."

"Yes, Sir. Understood, Sir." The screen went black.

The crimson eyed man smiled in a sickening way. _When we reveal ourselves, no one will be able to fight back. No one, not even you. The only choice will be to join us._

"Harlock…"

"Yes Miime?"

I heard my oldest companion sigh. Swishing the Red Andromedan Bourbon in my glass yet again, I looked out into space. _Tobito can't be far now…_ I thought grimly. We had been in space warp for around 5 hours, and if I estimated correctly we would be on the chosen planet in little more than an hour. _But I have a… personal… matter to take care of now…_

Indeed. Finding a picture of your deceased wife in your new recruit's old hat could have that effect on people. Miime didn't answer, instead she walked over to the table and sat down, pouring herself a glass. Silence fogged up the room.

"I'm wondering if the Main Computer knew anything about this…" Miime said softly. I didn't turn around.

"If he did, you know he wouldn't tell us. It's not Toshiro's way." I said, finishing my glass and turning away from the stars. I didn't feel like looking at them. Placing my glass on the table I sat down, facing Miime on the other side of the table.

"Harlock… Maybe it was fate." I raised an eyebrow.

"You know I don't believe in fate." She nodded, almost looking sad… Or was it nostalgia? It was hard to tell the difference.

"Well… You don't believe in coincidence either. Harlock. It's been one year since the Dark Matter that clouded your mind was purged. You're going back to your old habits… Captaining this ship like how you did before. All this brings me joy, so much joy I feel like crying." I was mildly surprised Miime was talking so much. Did I look _that_ depressed? She continued. "With all this, old friends and rivals alike are coming back. You haven't even thought about Cassia these past years… Or Dune. Or your—"

"Miime… You need not remind me of my past."

"What are you going to do about all this?"

I smiled. I smiled in front of this huge mess of confusing leads that contradicted each other. I smiled in front of the thrill to be back on the case, just like with the Illumidas, The Mazone, The Noo, and more recently the Gaia Coalition. I smiled simply because the answer was damn obvious. Miime seemed to be staring at me.

"What we normally do Miime. Go against all odds and come out victorious!"

"You idiot!"

"HEY WHAT DID I DO?"

"Maybe it has something to do with that blasted SDF train coming at us."

"NOBODY ASKED FOR YOUR BLOODY OPINION!"

"Jeez Captain-impersonator, don't get your eye-patch in a twist!"

"STOP MENTIONING THE EYE-PATCH IT'S BEEN A YEAR GROW UP!"

Amidst all the arguing, nobody noticed the soft _swiiishhh_ of the elevator doors, nor the signature metallic click of a certain Captain's boots on the bridge floor. That is… Until it was too late of course.

"What are you arguing about now?"

The classic trio froze.

"Oh h-hey Captain! Didn't notice you there… heh..heh.." Yataran said sheepishly, suddenly standing in front of his station.

Kei found herself in the same situation, instead she flash a more professional "Sir" before magically standing in front of her station.

Of course, this left Logan standing all alone in the middle of the bridge.

"Now Logan. Do you mind telling me why the SDF detected us in the first place?"

Logan smiled sheepishly. "I accidently went for the main spaceport?" It inadvertently came out as a question.

"Yes, that would do the trick. Now how are you going to fix this?" Captain Harlock asked, straitening his pose and crossing his arms with the classic trademark 'Harlock-your-in-deep-this-time Scowl'.

Logan bit his lower lip, thinking of ways he could divert the SDF train. "Can we—"

"No. We can't shoot them down."

Before Logan could propose something else thought, the ceiling-screen flickered to life, signaling that they were receiving a message.

"Captain Harlock. Been a while." The man on the screen had short, light brown hair and a scar over his left eye-brow. He had a stern look to him.

"Same to you Captain Schwanhelt." Logan looked from one to the other.

"Wait you know each other?!" He was ignored.

"We came for supplies." Harlock continued, his gaze never leaving the other Captain's.

"We were on our way out. I presume I will _forget_ to log in this encounter."

Harlock smiled. "I wouldn't doubt it."

The line went dead, confusing both parties. Harlock glanced around.

"He owes me a favor from a long while back." He said, but didn't move to elaborate further. The crew shrugged, slightly irritated, but at the same time they knew this was the best explanation they would get.

"Now Logan, take us over to a more… _Remote_ location." Harlock ordered, going over to sit in his chair.

Half an hour later the Arcadia was landed, the crew deployed for food and the water supply on its way to being restocked. The bow on the other hand, was another story.

"How bad is it?" Harlock asked, looking up at the bow from the ground in front of it. Some of Machii's men were already lowering lifts down from the top of the bow to the damaged areas. Normally the Arcadia would repair itself, but if the damage was too extensive then it would need patching before it even attempted to try regenerating. The good thing was that the men need only patch up the missing hull, cutting the job virtually in half. The bad thing was that the whole procedure would still take a minimum of 3 days. The Captain knew all this, but time was of the essence.

"It's not the worst hit we've suffered, but it's going to take a couple all nighters to complete enough for the Regen to kick in." Machii sighed, he was standing beside the captain, looking over a list of things to do. Harlock scowled and looked around, spotting Yataran not far off.

"Lieutenant!"

"Yes Captain?"

"How are things going?" Harlock said while walking toward the main hangar, where Yataran was organizing a party to head into town and look for a place to bulk order food.

"About to head out. I had all 12 members change into a more civilian garb… With us gone that leaves only 16 here without Kei's water party." Yataran said, looking around.

"Tobito is a peaceful place. I'm not expecting a fight." Harlock smirked, and turned back toward the hangar door. Once nice the cavernous room he headed toward the back, where stairs leading to the main corridor were. He took them 2 at a time, cape snapping behind him.

He was passing one of the smaller hangars when he heard dim laser shots coming from behind the door. This hangar was used as a training room and the occasional sparring competition, it wasn't unusual to hear laser shots or loud crashes. Feeling curious and with nothing else to do, Harlock slid the door open silently. He had only taken one step inside when he had to duck, looking behind him to see a still-smoking singe mark on the wall where his head had been.

"I see your still working on your _lovely_ aim." Harlock said, trying to hide a smile. Logan couldn't say anything snappy back to his captain, so he settled for a glare. It back fired though, he couldn't hold Harlock's eye for long. He looked down at his gun.

"I haven't gotten any better at shooting. Or anything else for that matter. I was bad enough when I had both eyes, now I'm terrible. How do you deal with depth perception that isn't worth a rock?"

Harlock leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. "Logan, I've had 124 years experience shooting and fighting without one eye. I don't expect you to be a perfect shot in little more than a year."

"But we have a new fight to fight! I can't go around missing everything I aim at and hitting everything I don't want to! How can I help rescue Phantom and beat that Dune guy when I can't even defend myself!" Logan growled frustratingly, passing a hand through his hair.

Harlock stood back up and turned back toward the door. "Well, you're just going to have to get better." He through over his shoulder before closing the door behind him.

Logan sighed. "I've tried…" He said to no one in particular, before holstering his gun and cleaning up the room.

"So you're telling me that you were _sling-shot_ in this general direction by the _ship you were sent to destroy_?" Said the General of the Delta outpost in a 'yeah-right-your-telling-the truth-and-I'm-a-monkey's-uncle' tone and expression.

"Lieutenant Canis, check the ship identification. Again." The general said, looking to a young man with dark mahogany, spiky hair and golden eyes. Golden eyes which he rolled at his superior's order.

"Sir, with all due respect, that ship is without a doubt the _Estrela Do Mar,_ FTL classified Cargo vessel, captained by Marcus 'Apollo' A. Alatriste, youngest Council member with the identification code: CCM000010. And I for one believe them. I mean come on." The man said with an annoyed tone. Marcus sighed. He and his crew were standing in front of the _Estrela,_ facing off with the 'welcoming' crew of the outpost. Given the way they had arrived, and the story Marcus assured was the truth, the General was more than a little skeptic.

 _Good thing that lieutenant seems to be on our side…_ Thought Marcus, watching as the General decided whether to kick them out at the risk of him actually being a Council member, or to let him stay and help him with his ship in need of desperate repair.

"Ok, I believe you. My mechanics are at your disposal and your ship will be moved to the Repair Dock." The General said in a stern tone. "But if you step out of line just once I'm kicking you out."

Marcus smiled, more than a little relieved. "No need to worry. The moment the _Estrela_ is back in fighting shape we're leaving." The General nodded.

"Lieutenant, show them their quarters while the repair crew moves the ship." The General ordered. The lieutenant nodded, and then turned to Marcus' crew.

At the mention of the _Estrela_ 's hull in a different crew's hands, Keago and Kigo jumped to attention, surprising Yuki who had thought the Twins standing beside her had fallen asleep on their feet ages ago.

"Captain, General, with respect we're—"

"—staying here to command the crew." The Twins said in their usual fashion.

Seeing the General's look at their little 'statement', Marcus jumped in.

"Those two are my Head Engineers and Mechanics on board. If they don't know what they're doing nobody does." The Captain said, knowing full well Keago and Kigo would stay put no matter what came at them.

"I see, well, in that regard I understand why you want to stay. I give you _temporary_ command over the repair crew." The General said, emphasizing the 'temporary'. Without further ado, Keago and Kigo hopped over to the _Estrela,_ where some men had already began to gather. In their head it didn't matter if they had permission or not, it wasn't an issue up for debate. Marcus sighed when he heard one of the men crash into the floor. _Come on guys… Don't kill anybody…._ He thought.

The lieutenant saved the small crew from the General changing his mind on spot by clapping his hands.

"Ok then! Follow me!"

Marcus shot him a grateful glance, to which the young man nodded slightly. The lieutenant turned and walked to a large bulk head at the back of the hangar, glancing over his shoulder to make sure his charges were still behind him.

Once out of the hangar and a little bit down a huge corridor, the lieutenant started talking.

"I'm Lieutenant Canis L. L. L. Famillion. I only caught your name, Captain. I also noticed that your crew is said to count 7, plus a canine, but I only saw 5 of you. Along with one of those Twins in a cast." Said Canis, still walking.

"You're very perceptive…" Marcus said, narrowing his eyes. Canis was sharper then he had first thought. Said young man tossed a sheepish smile over his shoulder.

"I enjoy noticing things others don't." Was what he answered.

"I'm Yami Fenderbass, Second in Command on the _Estrela_." Yami chirped, taking the moment to introduce herself. "Nice meeting you. Also, why the triple L? OMG CAN I USE THAT AS A NICKNAME?!"

"I'm Miko Alexanders… Nice making your acquaintance." Miko said promptly ignoring Yami like everyone else. Up until now he hadn't said anything at all. Marcus took note that he seemed exhausted.

"The two who stayed behind were Keago and Kigo Ozuma. The 3 others who stayed on board were Dr. Coma Link and Barrango Vesper, the later had to stay on account of injuries and the former because he's the doctor. Last but not least is my Dane, Sari." Marcus finished, presenting his missing crew members.

"That's all? Even for a ship the size of the _Estrela_ , that's a small crew." Canis said, wide eyed. "Oh and also the Ls stand for 'Lupus Lypion Lycaon'" He shot at Yami's direction. She smiled in a satisfied manner.

"Keago and Kigo are geniuses when it comes to ships. They, along with Miko, were able to refit the ship for combat at a minimal minimum of crew." Marcus said, expertly ignoring the second conversation Yami had been having.

Canis whistled. "Damnnnn," he turned toward Miko and tipped his hat. "And me who thought you were just the son of Apollo or something. Amazing work kid." Miko turned red, unused to compliments. Marcus almost choked thought. _Come on we do_ not _look_ that _much alike._ He sighed mentally, swearing that if this would be one of those anime Tv shows he would be sweat-dropping.

Suddenly, Canis turned left down one of the smaller corridors, and then took another turn to the right. The group arrived a few minutes of silence later at a big, steel-grey door with a sign saying "Visitor Room".

"Here we are." Canis chirped joyfully, opening the door and standing aside so that Marcus could see into the room, along with his crew.

All they could do was gape.


	17. Chapter 16

"Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo…."

"Borrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeedddddddddddddddddddddddd…"

I was lying on the bed, now awake after a nap. I had probably slept 12 hours, knowing me. Now, I was just staring at the ceiling, after having investigated the room I was given a bit.  
It was a nice room, I mean, nice enough. Plain white walls, one small window on the far wall, a bed on the right against the wall with a cabinet and desk on the same side as the entrance. On the left there was a door that led to a small bathroom. The bed was comfy and had a nice fluffy pillow.

That left me with nothing but my thoughts to entertain me, which wasn't a good thing. Dune's story had unnerved me, and the fact he knew me and my mother only made my feeling of unease stronger.

Dune swore the Captain was, _had been_ , driven to destroy the universe. That he was ruthless and vicious and insane with that dark matter stuff. But then again, he had lived for such a long time and he _was_ a pirate. Ruthless, vicious and slightly insane were the marks of the trade, and I had seen both the formers in my first fight with him.

 _But the Captain was…. Fatherly…_ When I was on board the Arcadia, I felt like Harlock viewed all the crew as family. He was distant and cold, sure, but the fact he cared about his crew greatly was obvious.

"I just can't see them in that way…" I huffed. Harlock, Logan, Kei, Dr. Zero, Yataran... Miime even. None fit the image that Dune painted. Sure the ship was weird, I could believe what Dune had said about the whole Dark Matter incident and immortal thing, Miime had told me that. _But destroying earth?_ Surely Harlock didn't… or at least didn't _intend_ to do it.

I shook my head. I didn't want to think about this, they were all good people. They had saved my life. I had saved theirs.

But how did Dune know my Mother? My name? What were those initials?

He hadn't mentioned Cassia by name… but I knew better then to take that and turn it into 'He was probably bluffing then'. How had they crossed paths? Arthur maybe? But Arthur said he had never been in space… He could've been lying.

As for my name… Fairborn was my mother's, which logically left the initials to my father, whoever he was.

That made me stop. I almost laughed.

"Three weeks in space and no bloody closer to my goal then the day I left…"

That's it I need something to do. I got up and made to grab my weapon belts… Only to realize Dune still had them. And the weapons they contained. And my hat.

Wait. My hat. Where the hell's my hat? My eyes went wide. I didn't remember to put it on when I went to check out what was happening… Back when Marcus attacked the Arcadia. Which meant it was still in my room.

Which meant my letter and my mom's picture were unguarded, in my hat. Damn.

"Darn it! My most important keepsakes and they're half way across the galaxy! Probably anyway…" I scowled and marched over to the door yanking it open and marching through…

Only to hit a solid wall.

"Oh so your awake."

I stumbled back and shook my head, clearing my thoughts. My mood didn't lighten as I straightened up to see Dune standing there, arm posed to knock. He replaced his hand and chuckled.

"Yeah I'm awake. Where's my weapons?"

"Blunt are we this morning?"

"Not in the mood."

"I see."

"Where's my weapons?"

Dune chuckled again, then his face went serious.

"Why should I trust you with your weapons?"

"You saved me from Marcus. I suppose I owe you, so what do I gain from attacking you?" I ground out, just wanting the gun and saber back on my person, to feel the comforting weight and assurance they brought. "I can even help, if someone attacked this ship I mean. Without my weapons, even if I'm pretty good at brawling, I can't do very much."

Dune seemed pensive, but I couldn't tell if it was for show or not. He smiled after a moment. "Your logic is sound, you may have the weapons back. I highly doubt anyone would attack us thought." He said, a smug tone setting in near the end. "We can pick them up on the way to the Bridge. Good morning by the way!" He chirped, moving away from the door and motioning for me to follow him.

We walked down the corridors, lit at 5 meter intervals by neon strips that were set in the walls and ceiling. This made me wonder as to the size of _The Impalor_ itself. I theorized that the ship about the same size, if not a tad bigger, than the Arcadia.  
The Boiler Room where I first woke up was near the back of the ship, where the engines were. Judging the distance and direction Dune and I walked to get to the Cafeteria which, I'd say, was about midway. That meant the crew quarters were placed right after that, at around ¾ of the way from the back to the front of the vessel.

And now we were heading to the Bridge (from what I can tell of what Dune told me), which would mean crossing almost the whole ship again, following the fact that the huge majority of ships had their Bridges near the rear, Arcadia included.

"You look like your thinking hard." Dune amusedly stated, casting a smirking glance in my direction while he kept a steady pace.

I looked up and nodded. "I'm wondering about the size of your ship, Captain. I mean, it's no small craft."

Dune chuckled, like he often did when I asked or said something amusing only to him. "Give or take, I'd say _The Liberty Impalor_ is around 1150 meters long, or roughly 1.1 km. Like I'm sure you were thinking: _The Impalor_ is very roughly 100 meters longer than the Arcadia."

I whistled, a little surprised. "That's huge… What's the extra 100 used for?"

"Now, I can't tell you that can I? As I said yesterday, I have to keep some of my secrets!"

I huffed. Again with that. Once with the subject of my mother and I, and now with his ship.

"Ah ha! Here we are!" Dune chirped moments later, stopping in front of one of the numerous bulkheads that lined the corridor. I watched as he placed his hand in the middle of the door, a scanner appearing under it. A blue light/laser thingy scanned his hand and a few moments later the door opened with a well maintained _'swoosh'_.

I followed him in, and gazed around in wonder. The room was set up as a half-gym half-firing range hybrid. It was about the size of Harlock's room, as to say: huge, and various weapons were set up on racks near the wall of the entrance, on the gym side of the room. Everything from swords, to whips tipped with mini lasers and lances were there. I couldn't help but walk over to get a closer look.

Dune meanwhile, as I was watching him from the corner of my eye, walked over to a table on which I could just spy the familiar leather of my gun holster. "There we go. I must say, your pistol is a… interesting model." He said, picking up said gun holster, and poking the protruding blade thoughtfully.

I straightened from the crouched position I was in, examining a particularly cruel looking mace, and smirked. "Only one like it in the universe, my fully custom-home made laser pistol, the Cosmo Reaper." I stated proudly, walking over to the table and taking a spot opposite of Dune. My Gravity Saber was also on the table, along with 2 or 3 other weapons that were half-way disassembled. I frowned.

"Please tell me…. You didn't take my weapons apart did you?" I asked, wondering if I was going to have to take the sword and pistol apart to make sure nothing was missing.

Dune, after poking the blade again, put the pistol down and looked up. "Of course not, I examined them, yes. But I did not take them apart. These other projects of mine on the table are in the process of being overhauled."

"I see." I answered, taking my weapon belt and replacing the gun holster on it. Once that was done I simply wrapped the worn leather above my hips and buckled it tight, but not too tight. The silver buckles cold, familiar and comforting beneath my gloves.

 _Now all I need is my hat, poncho and something decent to wear…_ I thought morn fully. I was still in my jeans and tank top, with the old wraps around my torso. I wasn't in pain anymore, suddenly. I would have to take the wraps off.

Thinking about the wounds that were supposed to be on their merry way to healing instead of already fully healed, I strapped the two little straps of leather that each holster had around my thighs. Those were meant to keep the holster in place and close, and thank god for that.

"Done?" Dune asked, after I had double checked that everything was where it was supposed to be. That included drawing my weapons one at a time and putting them back carefully. I pushed all thoughts of the mysteriously healed wounds to the back of my mind, to be thought of later.

"Yeah. Thanks." I said after a bit. My mood was better now that my weapons were back with me.

"Why would you need to make your own pistol?" Dune asked a few moments later.

"Huh?" I said, not expecting the conversation to go that way.

"Earlier you said your gun was home made. I'm interested in seeing how good of a gunsmith you are… and if you can shoot straight." He added in a somewhat teasing way.

I smiled in an overly cheery manner, taking the bait and humoring the Captain. "I can assure you, _Captain_ , my aim is quite true. Do I take it you want to wager?"

"I bet you wouldn't be able to hit the farthest target."

I smirked, and walked over to the firing range side of the room. I wondered silently if I was still the shot I was. _It has been a few weeks…_ Last time I shot at something was in the Vazor ship, and I wasn't aiming very much during my fights against the space-zombies. The thought passed quickly though. Three solo years of living on Heavy Melder and my tendency for trouble made my aim spot on.

"What's the farthest thing you shot at?" Dune asked, following me over to the range, than guiding me toward the farthest one.

"I was on top of the Creedence Cliffs on Heavy Melder, 200 meters high, and I shot someone who was following me in the foot to stop him."

I explained, looking at the target. The bull's-eye was about 3 inches wide if the closer targets could be trusted, and at this distance it seemed like a tiny red smudge.

"That's pretty far."

"Thanks." I unholstered my pistol, wrapping my hand around the grip and letting the blade rest against the underside of my forearm. There was a special way to hold this gun, one I did instinctually but someone who was used to normal guns would find awkward and uncomfortable. Another fail safe in case someone would use my own gun to kill me.

I aimed, pulled back the safety, aimed again and—

Dune whistled. "Space… You really are that good." I frowned.

"Sad. It should've been a bull's-eye…"

There was a black stain halfway on halfway off the bull's-eye. It was good, no doubt about it, but I was aiming for a full bull's-eye. Oh well.

"Well, you've proven yourself, unto the Bridge!"

I felt like face-palming.

"Hey Captain?"

"Yes Doctor?"

"After reviewing the results of all the check-ups, x-rays and all that stuff about Phantom, I noticed a few things."

"Oh?"

Harlock was sitting in his chair, in his Captain's quarters. A glass of bourbon, next to the bottle, was sitting on the table next to him. A book lay closed in his lap.

"In fact, two things stood out… Both have to do with that picture…"

"Well, if Cassia is her mother it probably means she's either my daughter—" Dr. Zero could see something behind the Captain's eyes as he spoke of that wonderful woman. The old Doctor would go as far as to say that the Captain was on the verge of tears. Happy or sad ones would entirely depend on if the person viewing this rare scene had known Cassia Fairborn or not. "—Or somebody else's daughter, from after the incident. That's clear enough, with or without the tests."

"The later is impossible—"

"Nothing's impossible."

"Well this is."

"Harlock—"

"Doctor, I would appreciate it if you would please stop giving me hope that my wife is alive—"

"Harlock—"

"—And that my daughter was actually on Heavy Melder all this time without me—"

The Doctor's patient shattered just like that,

"SPACE DAMNIT HARLOCK! LISTEN TO YOURSELF! CASSIA'S BABY, YOUR DAUGHTER WAS BORN ON THIS SHIP, _BEFORE_ THE INCIDENT WITH DUNE! I WAS THERE!"

Dr. Zero took a breath, and looked straight at his Captain. Harlock, as he often did, stayed silent and let the Doctor speak his piece.

"With all due respect, Harlock, as the on board Doctor at that time 15 years ago when Cassia had her baby, I can say with total certainty that the DNA I logged into the computer then matches Phantom's DNA now perfectly."

"Why didn't you speak earlier?" Harlock's voice was quieter now, and Dr. Zero sighed.

"I didn't do a DNA test earlier. I only did it after the picture of Cassia was found in Phantom's hat. Oh also, I gave the letter and picture to Miime for safe keeping, the crew don't know about its contents yet."

"So it's proven that she _is in fact_ my _daughter?_ "

"Yes, basically."

Harlock smiled. A Legitimate smile, not a smirk, not a sinister 'you're about to die' smile. A smile filled with hope.

"Thank you Doctor Zero. Thank you."

"Pfft anything for the Captain. Now if you'll excuse me, I got work to do and people to boss around. Two more days till we blast off and track down Dune after all."

With a smile, the Doctor turned around, and headed out the door, making sure to close it behind him.

Inside Harlock nodded at Dr. Zero's parting words. Two days, and they would be back in the game of cat and mouse. Dune was after Harlock, Harlock was after Dune, and hopefully, if Captain Apollo had gotten the hint, he was after both Dune and Harlock, and would, if everything went to plan, go after Dune first.

Hopefully, the _Estrela_ was being repaired, as was the Arcadia, and would be ready at the same time. Hopefully.

Harlock paused in his thoughts.

That word, 'Hope', was popping into existence more and more in the Captain's mind. Ever since they had emptied the Dark Matter a year before, Harlock was slowly reverting back to the man he had been before all this. Make no mistake, he was still immortal, Miime and Tochiro were still bond to the ship and all 4 parties were still tied together by the Dark Matter, but whatever had been clouding his mind was gone.

It was exactly the same feeling Harlock had gotten during the few years Cassia and he had known each other.

"Hope." Harlock muttered. It had new meaning. The possibility Cassia was _alive_. That Phantom was his _daughter_.

Everything was new.

The future was bright.

And Harlock had a bottle of Bourbon within arm's reach to celebrate with.

Perfect.

Wait. Wasn't there something else the Doctor had wanted to tell him?

Somewhere deep inside the Arcadia, in its heart of hearts, in the center of the main computer, Someone chuckled.

"Damn Harlock… You sure took you're time figuring _that_ out."

And with a sigh Tochiro promptly fell asleep again, seeing as the soul and consciousness of the Arcadia wasn't needed for another couple days.  
After all, what else do you do when you've already guessed the plot of a play?

Why, wait till it gets to the juicy bits of course!

Oh, and offer no help to the main characters.

Of course.


	18. Chapter 17

The Delta Outpost was in chaos. Not because of an attack or some big emergency or another, but because The _Estrela_ was finally ready to go back out into space. Hull patched, weapons checked, paint polished (out of Keago and Kigo's insistence that 'if they were going to go face Harlock _again_ , they might as well do it with a shiny new paint job') and crew back to a more or less functional level of health.

Marcus was busy dodging his way carefully through the space port, not wanting to get in anybody's way or knock something really important over. There was a slight part in the bustling crowd of officers, soldiers, pilots, engineers and civilians (Delta was also the third to last stop before Mars for the Galaxy Railways trains), and, recognizing a golden opportunity, he made a quick walking-sprint toward the elevator. The metal door swished open as Marcus got closer and once inside the captain let out a breath. _Who knew a space port could be so damn busy?_ Marcus thought, watching people- human and other- walk by at break neck speeds.

"Hold the door!" Someone called franticly, and Marcus stuck out an arm to keep the automated pieces of metal from closing.

The 'Someone' turned out to be none other than Lieutenant Canis, and Marcus couldn't help but chuckled as the young man rocketed into the elevator, panting from his run.

"Crazy out there isn't it?" Marcus asked rhetorically, smirking.

"This," Canis said, motioning out to the lobby area as he regained his breath and pressed the 'ship-port' button on the elevator's commands. "Is nothing. It's a Monday, that's all. Normally it's about twice as bad, but nobody likes traveling on Mondays."

Marcus chuckled. He quite liked the Lieutenant, who was quick to make a joke or sarcastic comment. Canis was also no push over in any sense. He could shoot straight and was one of, _if not the_ , smartest man serving on the Delta. The New Order would've been lucky to have him, but over the couple of days Marcus and co. were here they found out Canis was indeed a Lieutenant, but a Lieutenant of the Space Defense Force, or SDF. The SDF were the Galaxy Railways defense and offense group, who took care of anything that had to do with the trains and rails that criss-crossed the galaxy. In Marcus' opinion, the SDF could easily beat the New Order forces if it ever came to a fight between them.

"Happy to be getting off this hunk of metal?"

"Yes. But then again, we're only setting out to get beaten into a pulp." Marcus sighed, leaning against the back wall of the elevator. The ship-port was at the very bottom, so they were in for a longer-than-average ride.

Canis shrugged. "You never know, the stronger they are the harder they fall."

"Let's hope that if the Arcadia does fall, it won't fall on us." Marcus said flatly, earning a bark of laughter from the other. "What are you going to the ship-port for anyway? I thought you were busy."

"Busy getting ready to leave. My team is arriving here in 10 minutes. We're heading to Heavy Melder, there are reports of strange ships in that corner of the frontier lands." Canis said, straightening out his uniform and flashing the Blue Bat SDF insignia proudly. Blue Bat was the name of the engine (train) Canis' platoon took care of, and doubled as the name of the team.

"Oh. That explains it. It seems we'll be leaving one right after the other." Marcus noted the 'report of strange ships' near Heavy Melder. Isn't Melder one of Harlock's favorite places? "Heavy Melder is a dangerous spot."

"Indeed, and yeah, if you're affiliated with any kind of law or order." Canis shrugged again. "I don't even think we're going to land. Just do some recon. Stuff like that. Rumor has it that the ships are Vazor class."

Marcus was alert in a second. "Vazor class?" Those were popping up in all the weird places, and were somehow related to Harlock. This could be a lead.

"Yeah, surprising isn't it?"

Before Marcus could answer, the elevator clunked to a halt and its door opened. Canis did a small farewell sign before disappearing into the crowd of mechanics who were waiting to enter the elevator.

As the men swarmed in, Captain Apollo slipped out past them. He swept his gaze over the hanger, but Canis was nowhere in sight. _Darn it. That was the perfect lead._ He thought, sighing. He gave up, figuring the young Lieutenant was on his way to the SDF Train docks, which were in the opposite direction of the Space Vessels.  
Instead of bothering the man who was surely having a reunion with his teammates, Marcus headed over to where a freshly repaired _Estrela_ lay in a hover-cradle.

The General of Delta Outpost was standing at the base of the ship's underside entrance along with a few mechanics, Keago and Kigo. They seemed to have been waiting for the Captain.  
Marcus tipped his head in greeting, coming up to stand in front of the group.

"Ready for take-off Captain Apollo?" The General asked, smiling cheerfully. Marcus figured it was less of a smile just for the sake of a smile and more because Keago and Kigo would finally be far away from the station, and the General by extension.

"Indeed. Keago and Kigo have informed me the _Estrela_ is ready for space once again." Marcus nodded, casting a glance at both engineers as they smirked smugly.

"Aye. Anyway, till next we meet Captain. We will contact you when the men in the hover-cradle get everything sorted out."

"Understood. Till next we meet General." With another nod, Marcus stepped aside the group and walked toward the entrance, Keago and Kigo following without a word.

Once the familiar hanger came into view, Marcus visibly relaxed. He disliked meeting other ranked members of the New Order's military. It caused no small amount of discomfort for all present. Marcus was a Council Member, which meant just by title alone he was above most Generals in rank, but on the flip side he was also just an FTL Captain with a slightly above-average strength ship. It created an awkward rank-conflict that most wanted to get rid of as soon as universally possible, and made any stay with Outposts or such an annoying occurrence.

"Well, thank space that's over." Marcus muttered, continuing on his way up toward the bridge. Keago and Kigo followed, but at some point left to go somewhere. Probably the engine room. Marcus didn't notice until he turned around in the elevator up to the bridge, but it was normal and he didn't think twice about it.

Not a second after the elevator doors opened once again on the bridge, Marcus was tackled to the floor and getting covered in loving slobber.

"Sari!" Marcus exclaimed happily. Minus the cast on her tail, the Great Dane seemed back to full health. Marcus got up and wiped the drool off his face, after ruffling her fur the way she liked. He walked out of the elevator and was greeted with the sight of Yami at her station, Miko monitoring the hover-cradle and Barrango asleep on his chair. Yami and Miko perked up at the Captain, while Barrango snored away.

"Hi'ya Captain!" Yami chirped, waving happily. Meanwhile, Sari went over and decided to take a nap beside Barrango. Marcus chuckled.

"Happy to be back?" The Captain asked, knowing full well the answer.

"Hell yeah." Miko said. "I mean the room they gave us, well apartment really, was awesome, but nothing beats the _Estrela_."

Marcus nodded in agreement and made his way to the wheel station. The apartment was huge, with enough rooms for everybody. It was tastefully decorated, with huge windows giving an impeccable view of the Solar System and space. It was all open, the kitchen giving way to the dining room which in turn gave way to a living room the size of the _Estrela_ 's bridge. Not like the crew actually had to use the kitchen thought, the Outpost provided meals at breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Captain was pretty sure that they had been placed in one of the apartments meant for nobility, politicians or visiting Council members. Marcus blinked. _Oh. Now it makes sense…_ He thought, wondering if the General truly did believe that he would complain if he wasn't placed in one of the Council member's suites.

"You got a faraway look Apollo, wazup?" Yami asked curiously. Marcus blinked again.

"Oh nothing, I just realized why they gave us one of the Council member's apartment."

"Wow, took you long enough." Yami chuckled. He rolled his eyes.

"I'd have to agree with her Captain, we figured it out almost immediately… I always wondered why they even had rooms though. I mean, makes sense if you miss a train or have a very long stop over waiting for another train." Miko tilted his head and held his chin in thought. "But it's not like someone would want to have a vacation on an Outpost."

Marcus shrugged. "Who knows Miko. But right now we have a mission to complete. I crossed the good Lieutenant on the way here. He said that he and his team were headed to Heavy Melder." He started to prepare the ship for takeoff, setting coordinates and asking for permission to leave. It came back pending, obviously, but it was proper procedure.

"So? What does an SDF mission have to do with us?" Yami pouted. Turning back to her post and preparing her own station for takeoff.

"It's what they were called for. Apparently, there's strange ships flying around the planet, and rumor has it they're Vazor class."

"Oh."

Marcus nodded. "It's our best lead. Harlock, because I'm pretty sure he's heard of this, will be heading there too." The request to leave, once pending, flashed approved, and Miko gave the orders to prepare for separation of the hover-cradle. A low rumbling sound filled the air and the vibrations of both the _Estrela_ 's engines and the cradle's movement could be felt in the bridge. The dock was clearing of people, and soon the bay doors would open. Keago and Kigo sent a message up to Marcus stating that 'as soon as those slow idiots moved the cradle and opened the door they could leave'. Barrango woke up in a start, and smiled sheepishly at the Captain. Apollo wondered briefly just what Dr. Coma had given him to be up and walking after his operation so quickly.

A very intense minute later, the bay doors were open and the hover-cradle was clear of the _Estrela_ 's wings. Marcus smiled happily and gave the order to fire up the engines and leave the Outpost far behind.

The FTL Cargo ship rocketed out of the docks at a speed far too rapid to be regulation, but Captain Apollo didn't care. Keago and Kigo wanted to get out of there as fast as possible, and had the guts to do it their way. Once he was sure they were far enough from the Outpost, Marcus sat down and got Keago and Kigo on the main screen.

"I want Miko to set course for Heavy Melder, Keago and Kigo prepare for a warp to the planet. Yami, send word to the New Order and tell them about our whereabouts. Barrango, monitor the radars."

A mix of 'OKI DOKI's, 'Sure Apollo's and 'Yes Cap'n's rang out and Keago cut the transmission.

Moments later the warp was prepared, and the _Estrela_ fizzed out of view in a faster than light space jump.

Behind them, a black-and-blue-lined space train with a wicked silver snow-plow-like guard on the front and windshield resembling a dark blue bat quietly sailed out of the docks. It was an old model, used only for reconnaissance and back up by the SDF, who used newer engines with better defensive and offensive technology for major things.

Once the sinister machine was far away from the Outpost, the SDF logo on the engine and its cars dissolved into oblivion, leaving it an unmarked shadow.

It too set course for Heavy Melder, making sure not to follow any Galaxy Railways approved tracks, and disappeared in a warp.

"Is that…. Heavy Melder?"

"Yes. I have to meet somebody here. I can drop you off too, if you want. I was going to give you something to contact Harlock."

"Oh." I glared in disdain at the oval shape of my home planet. Heavy Melder spun faster than most planets, and this made it seem distorted. It was roughly 3 times the size of Earth, apparently. One Imperial day was roughly two on Melder, and as such a year had roughly double the days of an Imperial year, but birthdays and such went by the Imperial Calendar. It was all very confusing and most people didn't even bother, I sure didn't. Arthur had raised me with the Imperial Calendar, even if that meant doubling up the days on Melder.  
Even from here, onboard the _Impalor_ , I could see the black clouds and the orange atmosphere. What very little of green plant life that grew on Melder, which consisted of vast forests in very concentrated areas, could be seen as tiny dark green specks. The three suns of the planet normally scorched everything else in the 11 month long summer.

All these things I knew by heart. And I had never ever wanted to think about them again. I didn't want to be back here at all.

"You don't seem happy to be here." Dune stated, shifting his gaze from the bridge's windows to me.

"I was raised on Melder… and I never really wanted to come back."I said neutrally. I distracted myself from the approaching planet by examining the bridge again. It was a non-impressive layout, but then again I was used to the Arcadia. Everything was on the same floor, except the wheel which was raised above everything else by a good 10 feet. All the stations faced the huge windows, which reminded me of the Arcadia's windows. As such, my attention was drawn back to the dust pit which was Heavy Melder. I gripped the hilt of my saber, looking for something familiar and comforting.

"Well, sorry. We're going to be landing near the Frontier town in a bit." Dune said, shrugging. He was standing a bit to my side, regarding the planet with mild interest.

"The Frontier town?" I choked out, looking at him with a shocked frown. He looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes. You ok?"

"Not really…" This had to be a sick joke. What did I ever do to deserve this? This was the worst coincidence to have ever happened to me. It had to be.

"Need something?" Dune looked at me worriedly. I shook my head, avoiding the windows and Dune.

The Frontier town.

Hell do I remember that place. Where I was born. Where I grew up. Where my mother died and was buried. Where I found out my life up to that point had been a partial lie.

Where I left with the solid intension of never, ever coming back.

And where I was just handed a ticket straight back to.

A thought struck me then. Who the hell could Dune be meeting in the Frontier town? Other then the Owner of the 'Worst bar in the universe' (which wasn't, he just named it that) or the Bank manager, nobody was really worth it. Especially if Dune wasn't a lawman.

"Who are you meeting?" I asked, collecting my thoughts and swallowing the urge to puke.

"Lieutenant Canis L. L. L. Famillion. An SDF member."

"Oh. Why?"

"I don't know yet." Dune shrugged and turned around. "Better go get your stuff, we'll be landing in a bit."

I blinked. Ok. Talk about change of subject. I nodded and turned to walk back to the elevator. The ship was built almost identical to the Arcadia, surprisingly. I found my way around easily because of this, but it left me wondering about how that happened. For the last day and a half at least. I just added it to my growing list of weird things about this ship, its Captain and its crew… or lack thereof. I still didn't fully trust any of them, but Clayhate, Vault and Dune hadn't done anything to show that they were untrustworthy. Yet.

They had been so nice. The elevator started its way down, and I was pondering Dune's reason for being here. Better yet, why would this Lieutenant Canis wha-cha-ma-call-it want to meet him on this planet? The SDF was based on Tobito, closer to Mars then it was to the Frontier lands where Heavy Melder called home. Was there something going on with the planet that was worthy of so much attention?

…

Was Arthur ok? And the Owner for that matter. My stomach clenched in worry. Arthur, while I would never be able to fully forgive him, was still my adoptive father. The Owner was my grand-father, calling him 'adoptive' just wouldn't cut it. I spent every spare moment with him in his bar, listening to his stories and helping out whenever I could.

The elevator slid to a stop and the doors swooshed open. I got out and started walking in the direction I believed my rooms to be in. I stopped myself, both mentally and physically when I was getting to the point where I was wondering if the Owner and everyone in the Frontier Town had been killed.

"There's no sense wondering about it." I growled lowly to myself. I had stopped next to one of the Boiler rooms, the heat radiating from the door in waves. I started walking again, if only to get to my room faster and get away from the heat. "I'll see why Dune is here soon enough…"

"I assume everyone is ready?"

"Logan and Machii aren't here."

The Captain looked up from a holo-map, eyebrow raised. "Not here? Then where are they?"

Kei, who had been tasked with reporting to the Captain, nodded. It wasn't often anybody had to report to Harlock when he was in his private quarters, but when it happened the impressive panorama view that the pirate Captain's bay windows provided always left a mark. Even if they only showed the massive coniferous and leafy trees of Tobito's forest and not a breath taking tableau of stars and darkness in space, it was still beautiful. Kei couldn't help but steal glances as she reported all the repairs completed and current team tasks.

Kei sighed, knowing that what Logan and Machii had decided to do wouldn't please Harlock one bit.  
"The duo decided it was a good idea to try and get into the SDF's mainframe and see if they've had any alerts. They haven't come back yet."

Harlock's face darkened. "Did Yataran go with them?"

"Surprisingly, no."

Harlock pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "What in space were they thinking!?" He growled. "And why wasn't I told?"

"We only just realized they were gone half an hour ago, it took another while of asking round to see if anyone knew why."

"Miime would've been the one to ask."

"She was the one who told us, just so happened she was the last person we did ask."

Harlock ground his teeth. What were those two thinking? Harlock opened his mouth just about to order Kei to go find the duo and bring them back, and not to care about gentleness or comfort, when frantic knocking echoed from the huge wooden door.

Not waiting for an answer, Yataran hurried in and left the door ajar. "Captain! There's an SDF cargo truck coming this way. They're driving down from the port (left) side bow."

Harlock got up from his chair, closed the holo-map and hurried past Kei and Yataran motioning that they follow. He didn't say a word, and the Second in Command and Lieutenant didn't comment when he grabbed his gun and sword belt on the way to the door.

Looking back at his hurried exit, Harlock regretted not taking the time to hook on his cape. It would've made quite the impression exiting the ship. Kei and Yataran jogged slightly to keep up, and quickly it became apparent where they were headed.

The hatch to go up onto the front deck, or the top of the Arcadia near the base of the bridge-tower, was just ahead. From there you could get down to the wings on either side, relatively close to the ground and within talking distance with whoever was actually on the ground. Of course you had to talk loudly (read yell) to actually communicate, but that was technicalities.

Soon enough, Harlock took a right from the main corridor, and the side-hall revealed itself to be a stair case up to a huge hatch. He walked to the highest point possible and pressed a certain spot in the top step. The plate of metal slid to the side and revealed a keyboard, into which the Captain typed a quick set of numbers and stepped back thereafter. Having seen this before, both ranked members of the Arcadia's crew weren't surprised when the hatch's air locks hissed and started opening.

As soon as he could comfortably fit through the gap, Harlock climbed outside with Kei and Yataran not far behind. Yataran had made good time alerting the Captain to the impending threat, and they had made it outside in less than a minute. The SDF truck was still ¾ of the way down the ship from the wing, giving ample time to get down to the within-distance-of-talking point.

As such, the pirate trio arrived just as the SDF truck screeched to a stop and kicked up dust. Five figures stepped out, 3 in a navy-blue-almost-black uniform and two others easily recognizable. Machii and Logan were escorted to the base of the wing by the SDF crew.

"Captain Harlock!" A familiar voice called out.

"Captain Schwanhert. Thank you for bringing back my _escapees_." On the ground, Logan cringed and tried to match his Captain's glare, for the Captain was glaring at him, but found he couldn't look the man in the eye. Literally.

Machii was a little less concerned, and was still glaring at the SDF kid who had found them out. In a way, the brat resembled Logan, just not as tall and with both eyes. It had puzzled him when the SDF Captain had called the kid 'something-or-another Yuki', and that's what he was currently thinking about.

"We found them trying to get into the dispatch records. What exactly are you looking for?" Schwanhert asked, the perfect example of serious.

"Nothing. This was all them."

Logan gulped silently. Their Captain had just thrown them to the wolves. Next to him Machii frowned. Could the brat be related to their own Yuki, Kei?

"I see. Well, I believe I know what these two were looking for." Harlock's interest picked. The pirate Captain turned to Kei and Yataran and said something to them. No one on the ground caught what was said, but they could guess for moments later Harlock walked closer to the tip of the wing and jumped to one of the lower wings, following this one almost to the ground. Once to the tip of the side wing, he jumped the 15 ft or so to the ground, landing cleanly and walking up to the group.

As the pirate neared, the two younger SDF members put a hand to their laser pistols. Logan would've scuffed, if Machii hadn't beaten him to it. "What do you hope to accomplish? The Captain's Space near invincible."

The brat went to retort but Schwanhert cast him a look. "Stand down Manabu;" He added while looking at the young woman. "Louise. He's not a threat… Yet." Harlock, close enough to hear what was said, smiled predatorily.

He stopped and looked at his 'captive' crew members. "What were you thinking."

It wasn't a question so much as a demand.

"I wanted to get a lead on Phantom. Machii came along to help." Harlock stiffened slightly, just slightly visible enough to alert Schwanhert that this was something serious and involved Harlock on a personal level.

"That was ill advised of you. Had you both been caught by anyone _Other than_ Captain Schwanhert you wouldn't be here now. You would be shipped off to the New Order and put on trial."

Logan nodded, and Machii smiled and rubbed his neck sheepishly.

"They were looking at the Heavy Melder readings. I want to know why." Schwanhert gazed steadily at Harlock. Two military-background leaders gauging how much information they could give in a bet to get some back. Don't get them wrong, the respect each had for each other was staggering, but they were on very different sides.

"We are currently one crew member short." Harlock said curtly.

"And she could be on Heavy Melder?"

"That's where we picked her up." Logan cut in, earning a look from both Captains.

"Well, here's the interesting thing Harlock." Everyone's attention was on Schwanhert. "A year ago, an SDF train disappeared. Two days ago, it reappeared, on its merry way toward the New Order Delta Outpost. Most of the major teams, including Sirius, were busy and so we couldn't go and chase it down. We just got news today it left Delta yesterday, following a modified-for-battle FTL cargo ship, The _Estrela_ , toward Heavy Melder."

Harlock's eyes narrowed. That was… "Captain Apollo's ship."

"Captain, could that mean that Apollo found a lead on Dune?" Logan asked hopefully. He was growing increasingly worried for Phantom, even if she hadn't really started to form any kind of bond to the Arcadia's crew. It wasn't her fault, what with the Vazor ship incident and then the _Estrela_ 's attack and double-kidnapping.

"It's a tempting possibility."

"Dune?" Logan, who had momentarily forgot about his predicament and Harlock, who just didn't care at the minute, looked back at who had spoken as if they had forgotten who else was present. They weren't the only ones, the brat and Captain Schwanhert both looked surprised to hear Louise, the only woman of the group, speak up. "As in, Captain John C. Fargo, the mercenary and privateer?"

"Yes." Harlock growled lowly. "How do you know of him?"

"My father hired him not too long ago to carry out a recon mission on Heavy Melder." She fidgeted slightly under the stares of everyone. "I believe he should still be carrying it out."

"You are aware he's a terrible man." Harlock said to her. She glared at him.

"Most would say the same and worse about you."

"He's not honorable."

Louise crossed her arms. "He doesn't have a record. And being a gun for hire is a perfectly acceptable career, _Space Pirate_."

Logan snorted. "He kidnapped Phantom and he's probably torturing her as we speak."

A short hop across a fair chunk of the galaxy revealed a certain red-brown haired teen munching on a strip of bacon and talking to Dune about the difference between normal sabers and Gravity sabers. They were waiting until night fell on Heavy Melder, and were eating a nice dinner of spaghetti. Halfway through a sentence, she sneezed.

"Someone must be talking about you." Dune remarked with a smirk.

"…Maybe. Anyway this is why they are sooooo much better…"

"I doubt that very much." Louise huffed. "He seemed like a perfectly respectable man."

"At one point in time he was." Harlock said, earning everyone's attention again. "But right now what's important is the fact he might be near Melder, if Captain Apollo is anything to go by."

"Well, that's everything Captain Harlock." Schwanhert spoke, after the conversation paused slightly. "It also marks the end of the favor I owed to you. Next time I have full authority to arrest you."

Harlock smirked. "Of course." He looked toward Logan and Machii, motioning for them to head back to the ship. With a nod, both left. The Captain went to follow the duo, but turned back a moment later.

"How's Captain Yuki?"

The SDF trio stiffened in sync. Harlock noted it, and realized something must've happened. "So he didn't retire then." The pirate had assumed that was the case but obviously that wasn't it. The first time he had had contact with the Sirius platoon, Captain Yuki, Kei's father, was on the job. When Logan had accidently stirred the Arcadia above the SDF Headquarters and Schwanhert had been the one to tell them off, Harlock thought it was because the old Captain had finally resigned.

"No. My father was killed in duty." The boy, who Harlock now realized must be Manabu, one of Kei's younger brothers, said.

"I see. Knowing him, he went out with a bang."

Schwanhert nodded. "He saved all of Sirius and another couple trains that were being attacked."

"One day I'll come back, and over a drink you'll share the story." Harlock looked at Manabu. "Your father was an honorable man. I'm sure Kei would want to talk to you next time we come by."

Harlock turned away with an over the shoulder mock-salute. "Till we meet again, Captain Schwanhert, Manabu and Louise."

"Till we meet again, Captain Harlock." Schwanhert saluted as well.

Before Manabu could react to Harlock's mention of his lost sister, Schwanhert turned away and walked to the truck with Louise in tow. Determined to find out how the intimidating man knew his sister, Manabu resolved that if and when Harlock came back to talk to Captain Schwanhert, he would be there.

"You idiots! Why would you ever do that? Without Yataran too!" Kei growled. In front of her stood Machii, Logan and Yataran, all looking more than a little sheepish. Harlock would've been smirking in amusement at the scene, lounging on his throne, but the he was busy coordinating the Arcadia's departure.

"Kei. Berate them later. Right now we're leaving."

The blonde looked at the Captain, busy at the wheel checking various reports and status updates from the engine and computer rooms. She frowned, rolled her shoulders and glared back at the trio in front of her. Machii looked as if he wanted to head back to his station, the engines room. Logan wanted to go over and see what the Captain was doing, and Yataran seemed as if he didn't know why he was being yelled at in the first place.

"You heard the Captain boys. Take-off positions."

They were gone before you could say 'thank space'. Logan was over with the Captain, who shuffled to the side to let the young man see what he was doing, while Yataran and Kei had taken their stations to the front of the wheel. Machii was down the elevator in a flash, happy to be off the bridge and back to the forever loud and rumbling engines.

A few minutes later, Harlock called the engine room through the coms.

"Everything set?"

"You bet Captain! Engines warm and warp drive at the ready."

"Good." He closed the com and looked around the bridge. Kei and Yataran were ready, all the men at the radar and aiming stations were present.

"This is our first big fight since the Gaia Coalition's fall. Anyone who wants to play safe and stay here can. We'll come back and pick you up after."

No one, not in the whole ship, said a word. Most looked at the Captain with an incredulous, wide-eyed stare.

"No? Right then. Take-off at a 60 degree angle. Enter warp tunnel once we're clear of the planet's atmosphere and the SDF's radars."

Harlock stayed at the wheel, feeling the strongest wave of pride he had ever had for his crew. What was he thinking? These men, and women, would go through hell and high water for him, for the ship. He didn't deserve it. But they would.

Dune had messed with Harlock one too many times.

And this time the Arcadia had a crew. What do Arcadian crews do? They protect their own.

Phantom was their own.

Phantom was Harlock's own.

Dune was going to die.


	19. Sorrrrrryyyyyyy!

p style="text-align: center;"strongHellllllo my amazing readers!br /strongstrongI am not dead (maybe a zombie tho), no matter how long I haven't done anything on this story or the other one. br /strongstrongI'm writing this author's note (something I despise doing, but it's a necessary evil) for a few reasons. One being, I've gotten a few recent comments asking me to update! Thank you so much for the (metaphorical) kick in the butt! br /strongstrongbr /To (Guest) Lily: Thanks for the compliment, and don't you worry: It ain't going to waste. I'm simply rewriting it. Now, I haven't gotten very far... at all... but the progress is still there. br /br /For all of you guys on fanfiction that may or may not know: I am on wattpad as well! In fact, that is the birthplace of this story. I've updated a teaser chapter on wattpad, that I may or may not upload here. It details a few reasons why I haven't updated in so long (*cough*cowritercrazynessbeware*cough*) and a few bits of what we're planing together. br /br /I, personally, cringe whenever I reread the oldest chapters. Some serious work has been done with a group of amazing people who are as crazy *(about Harlock/Albator)* as I am. My canon is so much more solid and makes so much more sense now thanks to a few plotting sessions with them. My co-writer and I have also been rping this canon for emyears/em too. So finally, I'm ready to start the rewrite in earnest. br /br /I can't promise anything, I've already broken too many of them. I'm not good with uploading schedules, but I'll try to write one per month. br /br /On that note, I want to thank you all again. Chasing Phantoms would be nothing without all you peeps, who're alllll probably growling at me in frustrated anger by now, who're somehow emstill/em patient enough to wait. Or not. I wouldn't blame you /br /Expect something soon! I might just make a new story, or I might replace the old chapter 1. br /Thank you so, soooooooooooooooooo much, again. br /Agri out!~~br /strong/p 


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